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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. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  2. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  3. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  4. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  5. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  6. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  7. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  8. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  9. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  10. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  11. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  12. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  13. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  14. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  15. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  16. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  17. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  18. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  19. That must've been a ________________.
  20. When are we going to ________________?
  21. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  22. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  23. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  24. My mare is ________________ in color.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — of a river
  2. fine — a penalty
  3. land — a country
  4. present — a gift
  5. spring — of water
  6. fine — all right
  7. chair — a leader
  8. bay — to keep at bay
  9. rush — to hurry
  10. present — there
  11. spring — a coil
  12. rush — hurry
  13. chair — to sit on
  14. bank — for money
  15. chair — a professorship
  16. bank — for money
  17. bay — a part of the sea
  18. present — the time now
  19. rush — a thrill
  20. land — to come down
  21. fine — high quality
  22. spring — the season
  23. land — ground
  24. bay — a horse colour

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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