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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 soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  3. You don't need to ________________ round.
  4. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  5. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  6. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  7. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  8. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  9. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  10. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  11. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  12. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  13. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  14. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  15. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  16. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  17. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  18. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  19. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  20. We're almost out of ________________.
  21. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  22. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  23. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  24. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. drill — army training
  3. pop — to visit
  4. drill — the tool
  5. band — a ring
  6. capital — money
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. band — a music group
  9. capital — a city
  10. capital — a big letter
  11. drill — a practice
  12. calf — of the leg
  13. bank — for money
  14. band — a rubber band
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. lie — to recline
  17. dip — a sauce
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. pop — soda
  21. dip — to sink
  22. bank — of a river
  23. dip — to dunk
  24. pop — music

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