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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 120 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. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  3. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  4. That must've been a ________________.
  5. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  6. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  7. I can't ________________ this cold.
  8. David sat on the ________________.
  9. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  10. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  11. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  12. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  13. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  14. He was locked up in a ________________.
  15. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  16. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  17. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  18. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  19. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  20. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  21. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  22. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  23. Don't do anything ________________.
  24. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. bear — the animal
  3. trunk — of a tree
  4. rush — a thrill
  5. cell — a phone
  6. bank — of a river
  7. stand — to bear
  8. swing — to play on
  9. bear — the animal
  10. swing — in golf
  11. stand — for spectators
  12. bank — for money
  13. rash — a series
  14. cell — in a prison
  15. trunk — of a car
  16. bear — to put up with
  17. trunk — of an elephant
  18. cell — in biology
  19. rush — hurry
  20. rash — on the skin
  21. swing — music
  22. rush — to hurry
  23. rash — hasty
  24. stand — on your feet

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