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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 little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  2. We're on a ________________ here.
  3. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  4. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  5. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  6. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  7. The water is too ________________.
  8. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  9. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  10. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  11. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  12. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  13. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  14. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  15. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  16. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  17. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  18. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  19. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  20. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  21. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  22. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  23. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  24. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. roll — on a roll
  3. march — music
  4. cold — the Cold War
  5. march — the month
  6. bear — the animal
  7. cold — not warm
  8. bank — for money
  9. ruler — a monarch
  10. bore — to tire
  11. roll — a list
  12. bore — gave birth
  13. bear — to put up with
  14. march — the month
  15. mark — a trace
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. bank — for money
  19. bank — of a river
  20. bore — to drill
  21. cold — an illness
  22. mark — a grade
  23. roll — a cake
  24. mark — to pay attention

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