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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. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  3. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  4. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  5. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  6. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  7. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  8. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  9. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  10. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  11. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  12. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  13. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  14. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  15. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  16. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  17. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  18. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  19. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  20. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  21. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  22. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  23. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  24. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — of a river
  2. bark — a dog's sound
  3. pass — a permit
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. bank — for money
  6. bank — for money
  7. bore — gave birth
  8. fine — high quality
  9. bore — to drill
  10. cap — of ice
  11. fine — a penalty
  12. bark — to shout
  13. fine — all right
  14. cap — a lid
  15. bore — to tire
  16. cap — a hat
  17. pass — to succeed
  18. stem — of a plant
  19. mouse — for a computer
  20. stem — to come from
  21. bark — of a tree
  22. pass — to spend time
  23. stem — a stem cell
  24. mouse — the animal

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