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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. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  2. I can't ________________ this cold.
  3. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  4. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  5. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  6. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  7. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  8. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  9. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  10. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  11. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  12. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  13. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  14. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  15. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  16. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  17. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  18. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  19. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  20. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  21. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  22. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  23. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  24. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — of a river
  2. stand — to bear
  3. hide — animal skin
  4. pound — to hit hard
  5. vault — a safe
  6. present — a gift
  7. present — there
  8. pound — for dogs
  9. content — videos and posts
  10. prune — to trim
  11. hide — to keep secret
  12. stand — for spectators
  13. vault — in gymnastics
  14. hide — to keep secret
  15. prune — to trim
  16. pound — a weight
  17. content — happy
  18. bank — for money
  19. stand — on your feet
  20. bank — for money
  21. prune — the fruit
  22. vault — an arched ceiling
  23. content — the amount
  24. present — the time now

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