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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. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  2. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  3. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  4. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  5. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  6. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  7. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  8. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  9. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  10. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  11. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  12. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  13. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  14. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  15. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  16. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  17. Don't do anything ________________.
  18. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  19. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  20. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  21. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  22. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  23. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  24. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.

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

Answer key

  1. rash — a series
  2. bear — the animal
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. trunk — of an elephant
  5. can — to be able to
  6. march — music
  7. trunk — of a tree
  8. trunk — of a car
  9. degree — from a university
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. bank — for money
  12. bear — to put up with
  13. can — a tin
  14. march — the month
  15. can — a tin
  16. bank — of a river
  17. rash — hasty
  18. rash — on the skin
  19. degree — an amount
  20. safe — a strongbox
  21. bank — for money
  22. degree — temperature
  23. bear — the animal
  24. march — the month

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