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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. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  2. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  3. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  4. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  5. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  6. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  7. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  8. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  9. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  10. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  11. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  12. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  13. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  14. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  15. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  16. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  17. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  18. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  19. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  20. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  21. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  22. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  23. That must've been a ________________.
  24. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. wake — to stop sleeping
  3. can — a tin
  4. rush — hurry
  5. bank — for money
  6. wake — before a funeral
  7. content — the amount
  8. content — happy
  9. bank — of a river
  10. rush — to hurry
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. bank — for money
  13. branch — of a bank
  14. can — to be able to
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. branch — a division
  17. wake — a trail
  18. pitch — a sales talk
  19. pitch — a sports field
  20. pitch — completely
  21. content — videos and posts
  22. ruler — a monarch
  23. rush — a thrill
  24. branch — of a tree

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