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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. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  2. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  3. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  4. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  5. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  6. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  7. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  8. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  9. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  10. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  11. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  12. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  13. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  14. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  15. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  16. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  17. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  18. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  19. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  20. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  21. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  22. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  23. The tickets are free of ________________.
  24. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. bark — to shout
  4. lie — to recline
  5. bank — of a river
  6. cap — a hat
  7. drill — the tool
  8. net — for catching
  9. charge — in control
  10. drill — army training
  11. drill — a practice
  12. cap — a lid
  13. charge — electricity
  14. bark — a dog's sound
  15. net — in sport
  16. pound — to hit hard
  17. pound — for dogs
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. bank — for money
  20. bark — of a tree
  21. cap — of ice
  22. net — after costs
  23. charge — a price
  24. pound — a weight

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