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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. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  2. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  3. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  4. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  5. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  6. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  7. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  8. Have you met the new head ________________?
  9. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  10. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  11. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  12. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  13. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  14. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  15. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  16. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  17. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  18. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  19. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  20. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  21. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  22. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  23. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  24. She's sitting on a gold ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. bark — to shout
  3. mine — belonging to me
  4. wake — to stop sleeping
  5. march — the month
  6. march — music
  7. bank — of a river
  8. coach — a trainer
  9. march — the month
  10. mine — an explosive
  11. rest — what's left
  12. rest — a break
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. ruler — a monarch
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. bank — for money
  17. rest — what's left
  18. coach — pulled by horses
  19. coach — a trainer
  20. bark — a dog's sound
  21. bark — of a tree
  22. wake — a trail
  23. wake — before a funeral
  24. mine — for digging

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