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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 get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  2. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  3. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  4. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  5. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  6. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  7. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  8. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  9. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  10. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  11. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  12. That was ________________ to happen.
  13. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  14. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  15. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  16. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  17. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  18. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  19. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  20. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  21. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  22. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  23. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  24. Should I buy a wireless ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. kick — a thrill
  2. bank — for money
  3. present — there
  4. firm — decided
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. present — the time now
  7. field — for sport
  8. bank — of a river
  9. field — farmland
  10. bound — obliged
  11. present — a gift
  12. bound — certain
  13. kick — in football
  14. bank — for money
  15. bear — the animal
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. bear — the animal
  18. firm — steady
  19. firm — a company
  20. kick — with a leg
  21. bound — tied together
  22. field — a subject
  23. bear — to put up with
  24. mouse — for a computer

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