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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 120 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. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  2. Where did you ________________ them?
  3. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  4. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  5. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  6. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  7. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  8. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  9. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  10. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  11. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  12. He was locked up in a ________________.
  13. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  14. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  15. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  16. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  17. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  18. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  19. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  20. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  21. Have you found your soul ________________?
  22. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  23. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  24. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. mug — to rob
  3. ruler — a monarch
  4. mug — a face
  5. mark — to pay attention
  6. mate — to breed
  7. branch — of a bank
  8. mark — a trace
  9. bank — for money
  10. club — for golf
  11. cell — a phone
  12. cell — in a prison
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. branch — of a tree
  15. mate — a friend
  16. mark — a grade
  17. branch — a division
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. mug — a cup
  20. club — for dancing
  21. mate — a partner
  22. club — a group
  23. bank — of a river
  24. cell — in biology

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