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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. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  2. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  3. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  4. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  5. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  6. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  7. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  8. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  9. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  10. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  11. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  12. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  13. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  14. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  15. Where did you ________________ them?
  16. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  17. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  18. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  19. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  20. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  21. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  22. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  23. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  24. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. bank — for money
  3. mug — a cup
  4. bark — of a tree
  5. bank — of a river
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. stem — a stem cell
  8. kid — to tease
  9. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  10. vault — in gymnastics
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. lie — to recline
  13. bark — to shout
  14. stem — to come from
  15. mug — to rob
  16. vault — an arched ceiling
  17. mug — a face
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. mouse — for a computer
  20. bark — a dog's sound
  21. stem — of a plant
  22. kid — child
  23. vault — a safe
  24. mouse — the animal

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