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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. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  3. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  4. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  5. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  6. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  7. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  8. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  9. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  10. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  11. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  12. My father caught me by the ________________.
  13. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  14. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  15. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  16. He was locked up in a ________________.
  17. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  18. That was a fun ________________.
  19. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  20. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  21. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  22. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  23. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  24. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — of a river
  2. mark — a trace
  3. cell — in biology
  4. bank — for money
  5. fall — the season
  6. mark — to pay attention
  7. arm — a part of something
  8. firm — steady
  9. cell — a phone
  10. fall — to drop
  11. mark — a grade
  12. arm — part of the body
  13. craft — boats
  14. craft — a handicraft
  15. firm — decided
  16. cell — in a prison
  17. game — a kind of play
  18. game — a match
  19. game — wild animals
  20. firm — a company
  21. craft — a skill
  22. fall — to drop
  23. bank — for money
  24. arm — 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