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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. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  2. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  3. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  4. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  5. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  6. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  7. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  8. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  9. We're on a ________________ here.
  10. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  11. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  12. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  13. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  14. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  15. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  16. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  17. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  18. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  19. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  20. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  21. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  22. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  23. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  24. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. racket — a loud noise
  3. scale — for weighing
  4. bank — for money
  5. racket — for tennis
  6. hide — animal skin
  7. roll — a cake
  8. cue — for pool
  9. roll — on a roll
  10. cue — a signal
  11. face — part of the head
  12. cue — a hint
  13. scale — size or range
  14. scale — in music
  15. hide — to keep secret
  16. face — to point toward
  17. racket — for tennis
  18. tear — to rip
  19. hide — to keep secret
  20. bank — of a river
  21. roll — a list
  22. tear — from crying
  23. face — to confront
  24. tear — from crying

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