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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. He works in a ________________ mill.
  3. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  4. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  5. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  6. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  7. My father caught me by the ________________.
  8. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  9. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  10. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  11. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  12. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  13. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  14. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  15. She's very handy with a ________________.
  16. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  17. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  18. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  19. The ________________ went through the wall.
  20. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  21. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  22. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  23. Have you found your soul ________________?
  24. Many English words ________________ from Latin.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — of a river
  2. saw — the tool
  3. staff — employees
  4. mate — a friend
  5. bank — for money
  6. arm — a part of something
  7. arm — part of the body
  8. staff — a stick
  9. racket — for tennis
  10. saw — past of 'see'
  11. arm — part of the body
  12. staff — employees
  13. mate — to breed
  14. racket — a loud noise
  15. saw — the tool
  16. stem — a stem cell
  17. racket — for tennis
  18. stem — of a plant
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. bank — for money
  21. nail — on a finger
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. mate — a partner
  24. stem — to come from

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