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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. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  2. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  3. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  4. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  5. Where did you ________________ them?
  6. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  7. He was locked up in a ________________.
  8. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  9. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  10. The ________________ took off on time.
  11. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  12. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  13. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  14. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  15. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  16. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  17. That was ________________ to happen.
  18. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  19. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  20. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  21. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  22. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  23. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  24. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — of a river
  2. cell — in biology
  3. kid — child
  4. mug — a cup
  5. mug — to rob
  6. tear — to rip
  7. cell — in a prison
  8. tear — from crying
  9. plane — a tool
  10. plane — an aircraft
  11. staff — employees
  12. bank — for money
  13. cell — a phone
  14. kid — to tease
  15. bank — for money
  16. staff — employees
  17. bound — certain
  18. bound — obliged
  19. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  20. plane — in geometry
  21. bound — tied together
  22. tear — from crying
  23. staff — a stick
  24. mug — a face

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