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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 116 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 took the fish out of the ________________.
  3. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  4. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  5. Where did you ________________ them?
  6. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  7. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  8. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  9. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  10. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  11. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  12. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  13. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  14. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  15. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  16. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  17. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  18. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  19. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  20. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  21. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  22. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  23. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  24. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. net — for catching
  3. net — after costs
  4. leaves — of a tree
  5. mug — to rob
  6. bark — a dog's sound
  7. cap — a lid
  8. wax — to grow
  9. net — in sport
  10. leaves — to go away
  11. mug — a cup
  12. cap — a hat
  13. cap — of ice
  14. bank — of a river
  15. rule — to rule out
  16. wax — for sculpting
  17. rule — a law
  18. leaves — lets stay
  19. bark — to shout
  20. bank — for money
  21. rule — government
  22. wax — in the ear
  23. bark — of a tree
  24. mug — a face

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