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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. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  2. The ________________ went through the wall.
  3. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  4. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  5. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  6. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  7. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  8. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  9. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  10. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  11. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  12. When was this ________________ built?
  13. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  14. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  15. My mare is ________________ in color.
  16. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  17. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  18. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  19. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  20. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  21. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  22. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  23. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  24. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.

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

Answer key

  1. can — to be able to
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. row — a quarrel
  4. deal — a big deal
  5. bank — for money
  6. temple — side of the head
  7. bank — for money
  8. deal — an agreement
  9. can — a tin
  10. row — a line
  11. fan — to cool the air
  12. temple — a place of worship
  13. bay — to keep at bay
  14. temple — a place of worship
  15. bay — a horse colour
  16. deal — to handle
  17. bay — a part of the sea
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. nail — on a finger
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. row — to paddle
  22. bank — of a river
  23. fan — a supporter
  24. can — a tin

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