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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 120 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  2. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  3. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  4. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  5. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  6. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  7. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  8. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  9. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  10. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  11. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  12. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  13. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  14. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  15. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  16. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  17. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  18. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. drill — army training
  2. staff — employees
  3. chair — to sit on
  4. bank — for money
  5. bank — of a river
  6. staff — a stick
  7. bear — the animal
  8. capital — a city
  9. chair — a professorship
  10. staff — employees
  11. drill — a practice
  12. capital — a big letter
  13. drill — the tool
  14. chair — a leader
  15. bear — to put up with
  16. capital — money
  17. bear — the animal
  18. bank — for money

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com