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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. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  3. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  4. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  5. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  6. David sat on the ________________.
  7. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  8. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  9. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  10. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  11. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  12. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  13. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  14. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  15. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  16. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  17. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  18. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  19. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  20. You don't need to ________________ round.
  21. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  22. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  23. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  24. We're almost out of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — of a river
  2. staff — employees
  3. can — a tin
  4. bank — for money
  5. staff — employees
  6. swing — to play on
  7. pit — a hole
  8. can — to be able to
  9. pop — music
  10. wake — to stop sleeping
  11. swing — in golf
  12. wake — a trail
  13. can — a tin
  14. swing — music
  15. staff — a stick
  16. pit — in a race
  17. bark — to shout
  18. bark — a dog's sound
  19. pit — a fruit stone
  20. pop — to visit
  21. wake — before a funeral
  22. bark — of a tree
  23. bank — for money
  24. pop — soda

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