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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. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  2. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  3. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  4. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  5. He was locked up in a ________________.
  6. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  7. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  8. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  9. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  10. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  11. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  12. That was ________________ to happen.
  13. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  14. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  15. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  16. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  17. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  18. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  19. What do you think of the new ________________?
  20. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  21. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  22. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  23. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  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. cell — in biology
  2. bank — for money
  3. bound — obliged
  4. fan — a supporter
  5. cell — in a prison
  6. fan — a supporter
  7. branch — a division
  8. drill — a practice
  9. branch — of a bank
  10. fan — to cool the air
  11. bound — tied together
  12. bound — certain
  13. jam — in traffic
  14. bank — of a river
  15. drill — the tool
  16. cell — a phone
  17. cabinet — a cupboard
  18. jam — to spread on bread
  19. cabinet — ministers
  20. jam — a tight spot
  21. drill — army training
  22. branch — of a tree
  23. bank — for money
  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