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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. Don't do anything ________________.
  2. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  3. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  4. Have you found your soul ________________?
  5. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  6. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  7. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  8. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  9. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  10. I've got to change the light ________________.
  11. He was locked up in a ________________.
  12. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  13. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  14. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  15. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  16. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  17. Where did you ________________ them?
  18. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  19. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  20. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  21. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  22. The light ________________ burned out.
  23. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  24. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.

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

Answer key

  1. rash — hasty
  2. bank — for money
  3. bank — of a river
  4. mate — a partner
  5. bank — for money
  6. cell — in biology
  7. cell — a phone
  8. wake — before a funeral
  9. mate — a friend
  10. bulb — for light
  11. cell — in a prison
  12. wake — to stop sleeping
  13. rash — a series
  14. mate — to breed
  15. bear — the animal
  16. mug — a face
  17. mug — to rob
  18. rash — on the skin
  19. bear — the animal
  20. bear — to put up with
  21. mug — a cup
  22. bulb — for light
  23. bulb — of a plant
  24. wake — a trail

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