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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. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  3. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  4. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  5. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  6. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  7. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  8. The tickets are free of ________________.
  9. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  10. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  11. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  12. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  13. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  14. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  15. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  16. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  17. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  18. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  19. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  20. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  21. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  22. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  23. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  24. ________________ you help me carry this box?

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. charge — in control
  3. bank — of a river
  4. bowl — a football final
  5. can — a tin
  6. clip — to cut
  7. bowl — a dish
  8. charge — a price
  9. fan — a supporter
  10. wake — before a funeral
  11. craft — boats
  12. can — a tin
  13. bowl — to roll
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. wake — to stop sleeping
  16. bank — for money
  17. craft — a skill
  18. fan — to cool the air
  19. clip — a video
  20. clip — for paper
  21. wake — a trail
  22. charge — electricity
  23. craft — a handicraft
  24. can — to be able to

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