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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. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  2. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  3. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  4. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  5. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  6. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  7. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  8. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  9. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  10. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  11. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  12. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  13. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  14. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  15. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  16. I can't ________________ this cold.
  17. When will it ________________ you to start?
  18. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  19. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  20. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  21. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  22. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  23. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  24. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.

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

Answer key

  1. content — videos and posts
  2. mine — for digging
  3. suit — clothes
  4. bank — for money
  5. fine — a penalty
  6. bank — of a river
  7. stand — for spectators
  8. club — for dancing
  9. club — a group
  10. mine — belonging to me
  11. prune — the fruit
  12. content — happy
  13. content — the amount
  14. fine — all right
  15. suit — in cards
  16. stand — to bear
  17. suit — to fit
  18. fine — high quality
  19. prune — to trim
  20. club — for golf
  21. stand — on your feet
  22. mine — an explosive
  23. prune — to trim
  24. bank — for money

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