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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. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  2. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  3. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  4. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  5. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  6. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  7. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  8. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  9. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  10. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  11. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  12. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  13. The ________________ went through the wall.
  14. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  15. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  16. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  17. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  18. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  19. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  20. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  21. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  22. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  23. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  24. A black ________________ roamed the forest.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. squash — the vegetable
  3. mark — a grade
  4. rest — a break
  5. nail — on a finger
  6. pound — to hit hard
  7. bear — the animal
  8. rest — what's left
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. bear — to put up with
  11. mark — to pay attention
  12. squash — to crush
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. bank — for money
  15. pound — a weight
  16. spring — a coil
  17. spring — of water
  18. spring — the season
  19. bank — of a river
  20. pound — for dogs
  21. mark — a trace
  22. rest — what's left
  23. squash — the sport
  24. bear — 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