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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. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  2. We're almost out of ________________.
  3. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  4. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  5. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  6. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  7. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  8. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  9. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  10. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  11. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  12. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  13. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  14. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  15. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  16. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  17. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  18. You don't need to ________________ round.
  19. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  20. That must've been a ________________.
  21. Where did you ________________ them?
  22. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  23. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  24. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.

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

Answer key

  1. mine — belonging to me
  2. pop — soda
  3. mine — for digging
  4. mug — a face
  5. spring — the season
  6. foot — a measure
  7. object — a thing
  8. bank — for money
  9. foot — part of the body
  10. rush — hurry
  11. mine — an explosive
  12. object — to protest
  13. bank — of a river
  14. spring — of water
  15. spring — a coil
  16. rush — to hurry
  17. object — an aim
  18. pop — to visit
  19. foot — the bottom
  20. rush — a thrill
  21. mug — to rob
  22. pop — music
  23. mug — a cup
  24. bank — for money

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