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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. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  2. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  3. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  4. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  5. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  6. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  7. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  8. Have you met the new head ________________?
  9. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  10. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  11. What do you think of the new ________________?
  12. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  13. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  14. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  15. We're on a ________________ here.
  16. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  17. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  18. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  19. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  20. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  21. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  22. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  23. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  24. The train ________________ at six o'clock.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. cabinet — ministers
  3. chest — a box
  4. leaves — lets stay
  5. drill — the tool
  6. drill — a practice
  7. chest — of your body
  8. coach — a trainer
  9. bank — for money
  10. bear — to put up with
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. leaves — of a tree
  13. roll — a list
  14. bear — the animal
  15. roll — on a roll
  16. chest — of your body
  17. roll — a cake
  18. bank — for money
  19. coach — a trainer
  20. bank — of a river
  21. cabinet — a cupboard
  22. drill — army training
  23. coach — pulled by horses
  24. leaves — to go away

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