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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. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  3. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  4. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  5. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  6. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  7. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  8. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  9. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  10. False peace will not ________________.
  11. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  12. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  13. Don't do anything ________________.
  14. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  15. Have you found your soul ________________?
  16. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  17. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  18. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  19. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  20. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  21. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  22. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  23. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  24. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. leaves — lets stay
  3. drill — army training
  4. leaves — to go away
  5. mate — a friend
  6. drill — the tool
  7. rash — on the skin
  8. racket — for tennis
  9. craft — boats
  10. last — to go on
  11. bank — of a river
  12. craft — a skill
  13. rash — hasty
  14. leaves — of a tree
  15. mate — a partner
  16. bank — for money
  17. racket — for tennis
  18. mate — to breed
  19. racket — a loud noise
  20. last — final
  21. drill — a practice
  22. last — finally
  23. rash — a series
  24. craft — a handicraft

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