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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 would like to have a ________________ here.
  2. That was ________________ to happen.
  3. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  4. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  5. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  6. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  7. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  8. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  9. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  10. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  11. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  12. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  13. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  14. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  15. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  16. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  17. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  18. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  19. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  20. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  21. That must've been a ________________.
  22. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  23. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  24. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — a break
  2. bound — certain
  3. rest — what's left
  4. rest — what's left
  5. bound — obliged
  6. rush — to hurry
  7. content — happy
  8. rush — hurry
  9. present — a gift
  10. bound — tied together
  11. branch — a division
  12. content — the amount
  13. dip — a sauce
  14. bank — for money
  15. branch — of a tree
  16. present — there
  17. content — videos and posts
  18. dip — to dunk
  19. bank — for money
  20. bank — of a river
  21. rush — a thrill
  22. present — the time now
  23. branch — of a bank
  24. dip — to sink

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