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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 120 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. She's very handy with a ________________.
  2. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  3. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  4. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  5. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  6. That was a fun ________________.
  7. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  8. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  9. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  10. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  11. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  12. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  13. My mare is ________________ in color.
  14. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  15. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  16. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  17. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  18. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  19. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  20. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  21. When was this ________________ built?
  22. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  23. He works in a ________________ mill.
  24. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — the tool
  2. bank — for money
  3. bank — for money
  4. wind — to turn a key
  5. bay — to keep at bay
  6. game — a match
  7. saw — past of 'see'
  8. can — a tin
  9. temple — side of the head
  10. bay — a part of the sea
  11. chair — to sit on
  12. can — a tin
  13. bay — a horse colour
  14. temple — a place of worship
  15. bank — of a river
  16. game — a kind of play
  17. chair — a professorship
  18. can — to be able to
  19. game — wild animals
  20. wind — moving air
  21. temple — a place of worship
  22. wind — moving air
  23. saw — the tool
  24. chair — a leader

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