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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. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  2. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  3. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  4. We're on a ________________ here.
  5. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  6. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  7. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  8. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  9. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  10. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  11. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  12. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  13. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  14. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  15. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  16. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  17. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  18. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  19. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  20. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  21. My father caught me by the ________________.
  22. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  23. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  24. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. pound — for dogs
  3. dip — a sauce
  4. roll — on a roll
  5. ruler — a monarch
  6. roll — a cake
  7. pound — a weight
  8. dip — to dunk
  9. bank — of a river
  10. chip — in a computer
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. wax — for sculpting
  13. dip — to sink
  14. wax — to grow
  15. chip — to eat
  16. chip — for betting
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. pound — to hit hard
  19. roll — a list
  20. arm — a part of something
  21. arm — part of the body
  22. wax — in the ear
  23. arm — part of the body
  24. 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