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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. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  2. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  3. My mare is ________________ in color.
  4. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  5. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  6. When are we going to ________________?
  7. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  8. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  9. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  10. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  11. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  12. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  13. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  14. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  15. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  16. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  17. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  18. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  19. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  20. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  21. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  22. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  23. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  24. Biology is a ________________ of science.

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

Answer key

  1. land — a country
  2. bear — the animal
  3. bay — a horse colour
  4. firm — steady
  5. bank — of a river
  6. land — to come down
  7. mouse — for a computer
  8. capital — a city
  9. bear — to put up with
  10. branch — of a bank
  11. bank — for money
  12. bay — to keep at bay
  13. firm — decided
  14. land — ground
  15. capital — a big letter
  16. bear — the animal
  17. branch — of a tree
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. bay — a part of the sea
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. capital — money
  22. firm — a company
  23. bank — for money
  24. branch — a division

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