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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. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  2. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  3. When are we going to ________________?
  4. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  5. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  6. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  7. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  8. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  9. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  10. Have you met the new head ________________?
  11. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  12. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  13. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  14. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  15. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  16. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  17. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  18. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  19. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  20. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  21. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  22. It's one o'clock ________________.
  23. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  24. When will it ________________ you to start?

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. sharp — with an edge
  3. land — to come down
  4. land — ground
  5. spring — a coil
  6. spring — of water
  7. bank — of a river
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. coach — a trainer
  11. land — a country
  12. dip — a sauce
  13. coach — pulled by horses
  14. suit — clothes
  15. fan — to cool the air
  16. dip — to sink
  17. bank — for money
  18. spring — the season
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. dip — to dunk
  21. suit — in cards
  22. sharp — exactly
  23. sharp — clever
  24. suit — to fit

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