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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. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  2. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  3. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  4. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  5. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  6. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  7. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  8. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  9. There's no middle ________________.
  10. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  11. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  12. How do you ________________ your surname?
  13. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  14. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  15. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  16. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  17. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  18. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  19. The ________________ went through the wall.
  20. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  21. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  22. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  23. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  24. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. ground — crushed
  3. spell — a short time
  4. hide — to keep secret
  5. bank — of a river
  6. ground — the earth
  7. bank — for money
  8. hide — animal skin
  9. ground — a position
  10. spell — magic
  11. kid — to tease
  12. spell — letters
  13. can — a tin
  14. can — to be able to
  15. nail — on a finger
  16. hide — to keep secret
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. fan — to cool the air
  21. can — a tin
  22. fan — a supporter
  23. kid — child
  24. fan — a supporter

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