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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 116 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. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  2. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  3. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  4. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  5. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  6. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  7. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  8. My mare is ________________ in color.
  9. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  10. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  11. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  12. Where did you ________________ them?
  13. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  14. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  15. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  16. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  17. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  18. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. mug — a face
  3. bay — a part of the sea
  4. band — a rubber band
  5. bank — for money
  6. bay — to keep at bay
  7. band — a ring
  8. bay — a horse colour
  9. hand — part of the body
  10. fall — the season
  11. hand — in cards
  12. mug — to rob
  13. hand — help
  14. fall — to drop
  15. bank — of a river
  16. mug — a cup
  17. band — a music group
  18. fall — to drop

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