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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. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  2. He works in a ________________ mill.
  3. She's very handy with a ________________.
  4. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  5. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  6. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  7. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  8. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  9. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  10. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  11. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  12. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  13. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  14. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  15. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  16. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  17. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  18. Have you met the new head ________________?
  19. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  20. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  21. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  22. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  23. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  24. I have a corn on my right ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. saw — the tool
  3. saw — the tool
  4. foot — a measure
  5. fine — high quality
  6. coach — a trainer
  7. chest — of your body
  8. wax — for sculpting
  9. chest — of your body
  10. bank — of a river
  11. wax — in the ear
  12. mark — a grade
  13. mark — to pay attention
  14. wax — to grow
  15. foot — the bottom
  16. coach — pulled by horses
  17. mark — a trace
  18. coach — a trainer
  19. fine — a penalty
  20. saw — past of 'see'
  21. chest — a box
  22. fine — all right
  23. bank — for money
  24. foot — part of the body

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