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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. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  3. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  4. My mare is ________________ in color.
  5. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  6. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  7. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  8. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  9. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  10. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  11. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  12. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  13. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  14. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  15. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  16. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  17. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  18. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  19. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  20. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  21. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  22. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  23. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  24. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — of a river
  2. foot — part of the body
  3. jam — in traffic
  4. bay — a horse colour
  5. present — the time now
  6. jam — a tight spot
  7. kid — child
  8. present — there
  9. jam — to spread on bread
  10. bay — a part of the sea
  11. track — a song
  12. kid — to tease
  13. foot — the bottom
  14. bank — for money
  15. bank — for money
  16. present — a gift
  17. bay — to keep at bay
  18. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  19. track — to keep track
  20. leaves — of a tree
  21. leaves — to go away
  22. leaves — lets stay
  23. track — a path
  24. foot — a measure

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