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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. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  2. She's very handy with a ________________.
  3. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  4. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  5. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  6. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  7. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  8. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  9. My mare is ________________ in color.
  10. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  11. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  12. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  13. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  14. He works in a ________________ mill.
  15. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  16. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  17. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  18. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  19. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  20. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  21. What do you think of the new ________________?
  22. Have you met the new head ________________?
  23. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  24. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — of a river
  2. saw — the tool
  3. bank — for money
  4. bay — a part of the sea
  5. clip — for paper
  6. capital — a big letter
  7. saw — past of 'see'
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. bay — a horse colour
  10. capital — a city
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. clip — a video
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. saw — the tool
  15. capital — money
  16. bay — to keep at bay
  17. coach — pulled by horses
  18. clip — to cut
  19. bank — for money
  20. safe — a strongbox
  21. cabinet — ministers
  22. coach — a trainer
  23. cabinet — a cupboard
  24. cabinet — ministers

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