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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. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  2. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  3. My mare is ________________ in color.
  4. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  5. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  6. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  7. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  8. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  9. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  10. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  11. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  12. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  13. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  14. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  15. Where did you ________________ them?
  16. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  17. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  18. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  19. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  20. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  21. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  22. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  23. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  24. It's one o'clock ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. hand — help
  3. bay — a horse colour
  4. fall — to drop
  5. bank — for money
  6. hand — in cards
  7. bay — a part of the sea
  8. fine — all right
  9. fine — a penalty
  10. band — a ring
  11. sharp — clever
  12. fall — the season
  13. bank — of a river
  14. fall — to drop
  15. mug — to rob
  16. sharp — with an edge
  17. hand — part of the body
  18. bay — to keep at bay
  19. band — a music group
  20. fine — high quality
  21. mug — a cup
  22. mug — a face
  23. band — a rubber band
  24. sharp — exactly

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