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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. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  3. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  4. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  5. What do you think of the new ________________?
  6. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  7. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  8. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  9. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  10. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  11. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  12. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  13. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  14. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  15. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  16. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  17. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  18. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  19. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  20. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  21. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  22. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  23. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  24. A black ________________ roamed the forest.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — of a river
  2. hide — to keep secret
  3. leaves — lets stay
  4. leaves — to go away
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. cabinet — a cupboard
  7. branch — of a bank
  8. leaves — of a tree
  9. bear — the animal
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. pound — to hit hard
  12. pound — a weight
  13. kid — to tease
  14. hide — animal skin
  15. kid — child
  16. bear — to put up with
  17. pound — for dogs
  18. branch — of a tree
  19. branch — a division
  20. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  21. hide — to keep secret
  22. bank — for money
  23. bank — for money
  24. bear — the animal

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