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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. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  3. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  4. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  5. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  6. The tickets are free of ________________.
  7. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  8. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  9. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  10. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  11. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  12. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  13. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  14. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  15. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  16. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  17. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  18. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  19. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  20. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  21. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  22. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  23. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  24. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. bear — the animal
  4. kick — a thrill
  5. march — the month
  6. charge — a price
  7. bear — to put up with
  8. bear — the animal
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. foot — the bottom
  11. bank — of a river
  12. hide — animal skin
  13. foot — part of the body
  14. charge — in control
  15. march — music
  16. kick — with a leg
  17. bank — for money
  18. foot — a measure
  19. charge — electricity
  20. hide — to keep secret
  21. mouse — for a computer
  22. kick — in football
  23. march — the month
  24. hide — to keep secret

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