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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. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  3. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  4. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  5. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  6. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  7. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  8. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  9. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  10. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  11. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  12. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  13. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  14. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  15. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  16. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  17. My father caught me by the ________________.
  18. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  19. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  20. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  21. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  22. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  23. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  24. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — of a river
  2. hide — to keep secret
  3. hide — animal skin
  4. stem — a stem cell
  5. stem — to come from
  6. stem — of a plant
  7. arm — a part of something
  8. chip — to eat
  9. hide — to keep secret
  10. bowl — a football final
  11. arm — part of the body
  12. snap — to click
  13. chip — in a computer
  14. snap — to snap out of it
  15. bowl — to roll
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. arm — part of the body
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. fan — to cool the air
  20. snap — to speak sharply
  21. bowl — a dish
  22. chip — for betting
  23. bank — for money
  24. bank — for money

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