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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 124 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. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  2. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  3. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  4. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  5. When are we going to ________________?
  6. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  7. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  8. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  9. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  10. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  11. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  12. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  13. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  14. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  15. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  16. False peace will not ________________.
  17. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  18. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  19. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  20. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  21. When will it ________________ you to start?
  22. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  23. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  24. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.

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

Answer key

  1. row — a line
  2. fan — a supporter
  3. bank — for money
  4. chest — a box
  5. land — to come down
  6. suit — in cards
  7. row — to paddle
  8. fan — to cool the air
  9. land — ground
  10. land — a country
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. chest — of your body
  13. last — finally
  14. suit — clothes
  15. bank — of a river
  16. last — to go on
  17. toast — a drink to someone
  18. last — final
  19. chest — of your body
  20. bank — for money
  21. suit — to fit
  22. row — a quarrel
  23. toast — the most admired
  24. toast — bread

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