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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'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  2. When will it ________________ you to start?
  3. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  4. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  5. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  6. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  7. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  8. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  9. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  10. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  11. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  12. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  13. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  14. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  15. I'll be taking the ________________.
  16. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  17. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  18. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  19. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  20. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  21. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  22. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  23. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  24. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. suit — to fit
  3. calf — of the leg
  4. prune — to trim
  5. scale — in music
  6. bank — for money
  7. staff — employees
  8. prune — to trim
  9. tube — in a tire
  10. scale — size or range
  11. bank — of a river
  12. staff — a stick
  13. suit — in cards
  14. scale — for weighing
  15. tube — the underground
  16. band — a music group
  17. staff — employees
  18. tube — a container
  19. prune — the fruit
  20. calf — a young animal
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. suit — clothes
  23. band — a ring
  24. band — a rubber band

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