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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 116 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 am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  2. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  3. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  4. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  5. It's one o'clock ________________.
  6. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  7. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  8. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  9. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  10. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  11. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  12. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  13. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  14. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  15. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  16. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  17. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  18. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  19. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  20. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  21. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  22. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  23. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  24. Is it ________________ for us to be here?

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

Answer key

  1. fan — a supporter
  2. spring — of water
  3. bank — of a river
  4. bank — for money
  5. sharp — exactly
  6. bark — a dog's sound
  7. bank — for money
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. fan — to cool the air
  10. stick — to attach or keep to
  11. stick — a piece of wood
  12. sharp — with an edge
  13. prune — the fruit
  14. bark — of a tree
  15. prune — to trim
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. bark — to shout
  19. prune — to trim
  20. safe — a strongbox
  21. sharp — clever
  22. spring — the season
  23. spring — a coil
  24. safe — out of danger

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