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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. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  3. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  4. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  5. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  6. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  7. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  8. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  9. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  10. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  11. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  12. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  13. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  14. Have you met the new head ________________?
  15. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  16. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  17. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  18. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  19. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  20. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  21. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  22. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  23. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  24. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — of a river
  2. pit — a hole
  3. bank — for money
  4. pit — a fruit stone
  5. mine — for digging
  6. mine — belonging to me
  7. coach — a trainer
  8. march — the month
  9. face — to point toward
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. chip — in a computer
  12. coach — pulled by horses
  13. face — to confront
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. march — the month
  16. bank — for money
  17. safe — a strongbox
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. march — music
  20. chip — for betting
  21. chip — to eat
  22. face — part of the head
  23. mine — an explosive
  24. pit — in a race

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