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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. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  2. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  3. It's one o'clock ________________.
  4. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  5. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  6. That was a fun ________________.
  7. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  8. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  9. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  10. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  11. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  12. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  13. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  14. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  15. The tickets are free of ________________.
  16. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  17. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  18. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  19. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  20. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  21. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  22. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  23. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  24. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. bank — for money
  3. sharp — exactly
  4. sharp — with an edge
  5. hide — to keep secret
  6. game — a match
  7. wax — in the ear
  8. ruler — a monarch
  9. club — for golf
  10. wax — to grow
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. game — wild animals
  13. hide — to keep secret
  14. game — a kind of play
  15. charge — a price
  16. hide — animal skin
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. wax — for sculpting
  19. club — for dancing
  20. charge — in control
  21. club — a group
  22. charge — electricity
  23. sharp — clever
  24. bank — of a river

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