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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. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  2. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  3. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  4. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  5. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  6. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  7. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  8. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  9. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  10. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  11. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  12. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  13. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  14. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  15. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  16. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  17. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  18. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  19. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  20. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  21. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  22. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  23. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  24. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — of a river
  2. bear — to put up with
  3. bear — the animal
  4. safe — a strongbox
  5. degree — temperature
  6. bark — a dog's sound
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. degree — from a university
  9. file — a line of people
  10. bank — for money
  11. can — a tin
  12. staff — employees
  13. staff — a stick
  14. file — a document
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. can — a tin
  17. degree — an amount
  18. file — a tool
  19. can — to be able to
  20. bark — to shout
  21. bark — of a tree
  22. bear — the animal
  23. staff — employees
  24. bank — for money

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