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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 116 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 cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  3. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  4. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  5. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  6. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  7. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  8. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  9. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  10. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  11. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  12. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  13. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  14. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  15. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  16. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  17. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  18. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  19. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  20. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  21. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  22. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  23. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  24. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — of a river
  2. prune — to trim
  3. bank — for money
  4. staff — employees
  5. march — the month
  6. staff — employees
  7. tear — from crying
  8. prune — to trim
  9. chip — to eat
  10. can — a tin
  11. march — the month
  12. can — to be able to
  13. can — a tin
  14. lash — an eyelash
  15. tear — from crying
  16. chip — for betting
  17. prune — the fruit
  18. staff — a stick
  19. chip — in a computer
  20. lash — a whip stroke
  21. tear — to rip
  22. lash — to lash out
  23. march — music
  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