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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. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  2. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  3. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  4. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  5. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  6. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  7. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  8. He was locked up in a ________________.
  9. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  10. My mare is ________________ in color.
  11. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  12. There's no middle ________________.
  13. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  14. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  15. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  16. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  17. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  18. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  19. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  20. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  21. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  22. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  23. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  24. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — of a river
  2. bay — to keep at bay
  3. can — a tin
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. bank — for money
  6. scale — in music
  7. bay — a part of the sea
  8. cell — in a prison
  9. bank — for money
  10. bay — a horse colour
  11. cell — a phone
  12. ground — a position
  13. band — a rubber band
  14. scale — for weighing
  15. can — a tin
  16. ground — the earth
  17. lie — to recline
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. can — to be able to
  20. ground — crushed
  21. scale — size or range
  22. cell — in biology
  23. band — a ring
  24. band — a music group

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