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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'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  2. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  3. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  4. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  5. That was a fun ________________.
  6. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  7. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  8. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  9. She's very handy with a ________________.
  10. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  11. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  12. When are we going to ________________?
  13. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  14. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  15. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  16. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  17. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  18. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  19. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  20. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  21. He works in a ________________ mill.
  22. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  23. Have you settled on a ________________?
  24. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. game — wild animals
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. bank — of a river
  5. game — a match
  6. date — the fruit
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. firm — decided
  9. saw — the tool
  10. firm — steady
  11. saw — past of 'see'
  12. land — to come down
  13. safe — a strongbox
  14. land — a country
  15. land — ground
  16. date — on the calendar
  17. firm — a company
  18. bore — to tire
  19. bore — gave birth
  20. bank — for money
  21. saw — the tool
  22. bore — to drill
  23. date — on the calendar
  24. game — a kind of play

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