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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. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  2. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  3. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  4. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  5. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  6. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  7. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  8. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  9. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  10. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  11. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  12. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  13. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  14. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  15. The ________________ took off on time.
  16. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  17. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  18. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  19. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  20. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  21. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  22. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  23. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  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. bat — for baseball
  2. bank — for money
  3. leaves — lets stay
  4. deal — to handle
  5. can — a tin
  6. bat — in an idiom
  7. club — a group
  8. wind — moving air
  9. deal — an agreement
  10. bat — the animal
  11. leaves — of a tree
  12. club — for golf
  13. bank — of a river
  14. wind — moving air
  15. plane — an aircraft
  16. leaves — to go away
  17. deal — a big deal
  18. plane — in geometry
  19. wind — to turn a key
  20. can — to be able to
  21. plane — a tool
  22. can — a tin
  23. club — for dancing
  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