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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. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  3. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  4. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  5. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  6. He is an ace ________________.
  7. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  8. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  9. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  10. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  11. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  12. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  13. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  14. Have you found your soul ________________?
  15. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  16. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  17. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  18. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  19. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  20. When will it ________________ you to start?
  21. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  22. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  23. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  24. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. bark — a dog's sound
  3. bank — for money
  4. suit — in cards
  5. pound — to hit hard
  6. pitcher — in baseball
  7. stem — a stem cell
  8. pitcher — a jug
  9. bank — of a river
  10. mate — a friend
  11. suit — clothes
  12. bark — to shout
  13. pitcher — a jug
  14. mate — a partner
  15. mate — to breed
  16. chest — of your body
  17. bark — of a tree
  18. stem — of a plant
  19. pound — for dogs
  20. suit — to fit
  21. pound — a weight
  22. stem — to come from
  23. chest — of your body
  24. chest — a box

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