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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. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  2. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  3. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  4. My father caught me by the ________________.
  5. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  6. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  7. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  8. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  9. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  10. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  11. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  12. What do you think of the new ________________?
  13. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  14. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  15. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  16. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  17. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  18. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  19. That must've been a ________________.
  20. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  21. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  22. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  23. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  24. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — to put up with
  2. arm — part of the body
  3. bank — for money
  4. arm — part of the body
  5. bank — of a river
  6. dip — to sink
  7. arm — a part of something
  8. bear — the animal
  9. bowl — a dish
  10. net — for catching
  11. net — after costs
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. net — in sport
  15. rush — hurry
  16. dip — a sauce
  17. rush — to hurry
  18. cabinet — a cupboard
  19. rush — a thrill
  20. dip — to dunk
  21. bowl — to roll
  22. bowl — a football final
  23. bear — the animal
  24. bank — for money

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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