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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. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  3. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  4. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  5. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  6. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  7. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  8. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  9. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  10. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  11. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  12. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  13. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  14. You don't need to ________________ round.
  15. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  16. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  17. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  18. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  19. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  20. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  21. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  22. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  23. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  24. We're almost out of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. face — part of the head
  3. chair — to sit on
  4. bank — of a river
  5. chair — a professorship
  6. face — to confront
  7. face — to point toward
  8. bank — for money
  9. fan — a supporter
  10. pop — music
  11. net — for catching
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. leaves — lets stay
  14. pop — to visit
  15. leaves — to go away
  16. bark — a dog's sound
  17. bark — of a tree
  18. net — in sport
  19. fan — to cool the air
  20. bark — to shout
  21. leaves — of a tree
  22. net — after costs
  23. chair — a leader
  24. pop — soda

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