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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 124 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. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  2. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  3. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  4. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  5. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  6. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  7. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  8. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  9. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  10. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  11. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  12. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  13. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  14. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  15. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  16. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  17. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  18. Did you ________________ the meat?
  19. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  20. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  21. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  22. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  23. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  24. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.

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

Answer key

  1. season — in sport
  2. spring — the season
  3. can — to be able to
  4. branch — of a bank
  5. bank — for money
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. mouse — for a computer
  8. can — a tin
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. mouse — the animal
  11. safe — a strongbox
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. spring — a coil
  14. season — of the year
  15. march — the month
  16. can — a tin
  17. branch — a division
  18. season — to add flavour
  19. bank — of a river
  20. march — the month
  21. spring — of water
  22. bank — for money
  23. march — music
  24. branch — of a tree

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