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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 116 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. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  3. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  4. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  5. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  6. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  7. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  8. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  9. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  10. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  11. What do you think of the new ________________?
  12. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  13. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  14. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  15. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  16. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  17. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  18. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  19. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  20. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  21. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  22. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  23. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  24. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. field — farmland
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. spring — the season
  6. bank — of a river
  7. cabinet — a cupboard
  8. bear — to put up with
  9. bank — for money
  10. spring — a coil
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. field — a subject
  13. fine — all right
  14. firm — a company
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. fine — high quality
  17. field — for sport
  18. fine — a penalty
  19. bear — the animal
  20. bear — the animal
  21. spring — of water
  22. mouse — for a computer
  23. firm — decided
  24. firm — steady

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