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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. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  2. We're almost out of ________________.
  3. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  4. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  5. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  6. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  7. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  8. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  9. My mare is ________________ in color.
  10. I can't ________________ this cold.
  11. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  12. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  13. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  14. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  15. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  16. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  17. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  18. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  19. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  20. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  21. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  22. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  23. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  24. You don't need to ________________ round.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. pop — soda
  3. fine — all right
  4. bay — a part of the sea
  5. spring — the season
  6. club — for golf
  7. fine — a penalty
  8. pop — music
  9. bay — a horse colour
  10. stand — to bear
  11. stand — on your feet
  12. bay — to keep at bay
  13. wax — in the ear
  14. club — a group
  15. wax — to grow
  16. club — for dancing
  17. stand — for spectators
  18. bank — of a river
  19. spring — of water
  20. wax — for sculpting
  21. fine — high quality
  22. spring — a coil
  23. bank — for money
  24. pop — to visit

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