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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 116 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. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  2. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  3. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  4. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  5. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  6. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  7. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  8. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  9. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  10. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  11. Have you met the new head ________________?
  12. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  13. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  14. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  15. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  16. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  17. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  18. How do you ________________ your surname?
  19. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  20. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  21. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  22. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  23. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  24. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. chair — to sit on
  3. bank — for money
  4. bank — for money
  5. bear — the animal
  6. can — a tin
  7. bank — of a river
  8. spell — a short time
  9. capital — a city
  10. bear — to put up with
  11. coach — a trainer
  12. spell — magic
  13. chair — a leader
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. coach — pulled by horses
  16. can — to be able to
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. spell — letters
  19. lie — to recline
  20. coach — a trainer
  21. chair — a professorship
  22. capital — money
  23. can — a tin
  24. capital — a big letter

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