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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. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  2. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  3. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  4. My mare is ________________ in color.
  5. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  6. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  7. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  8. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  9. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  10. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  11. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  12. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  13. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  14. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  15. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  16. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  17. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  18. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  19. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  20. That was a fun ________________.
  21. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  22. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  23. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  24. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — a strongbox
  2. bank — for money
  3. band — a rubber band
  4. bay — a horse colour
  5. deal — a big deal
  6. bay — a part of the sea
  7. bank — of a river
  8. bat — for baseball
  9. bay — to keep at bay
  10. deal — to handle
  11. bat — the animal
  12. net — in sport
  13. net — after costs
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. net — for catching
  16. band — a music group
  17. game — a kind of play
  18. deal — an agreement
  19. bank — for money
  20. game — a match
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. game — wild animals
  23. bat — in an idiom
  24. band — a ring

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