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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. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  3. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  4. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  5. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  6. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  7. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  8. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  9. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  10. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  11. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  12. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  13. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  14. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  15. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  16. Where did you ________________ them?
  17. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  18. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  19. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  20. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  21. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  22. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  23. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  24. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rash — hasty
  2. stick — a piece of wood
  3. stick — to attach or keep to
  4. wind — to turn a key
  5. rash — a series
  6. bear — the animal
  7. capital — a big letter
  8. stick — a piece of wood
  9. bear — to put up with
  10. mug — a face
  11. wind — moving air
  12. leaves — to go away
  13. leaves — of a tree
  14. capital — money
  15. wind — moving air
  16. mug — to rob
  17. bank — for money
  18. mug — a cup
  19. rash — on the skin
  20. capital — a city
  21. leaves — lets stay
  22. bear — the animal
  23. bank — for money
  24. bank — of a river

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