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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 124 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 ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  2. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  3. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  4. He works in a ________________ mill.
  5. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  6. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  7. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  8. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  9. She's very handy with a ________________.
  10. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  11. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  12. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  13. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  14. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  15. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  16. The King held a masked ________________.
  17. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  18. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  19. Have you settled on a ________________?
  20. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  21. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  22. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  23. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  24. The flowers bloom in the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. date — the fruit
  2. bear — to put up with
  3. hide — to keep secret
  4. saw — the tool
  5. bank — for money
  6. rule — government
  7. hide — to keep secret
  8. hide — animal skin
  9. saw — the tool
  10. bear — the animal
  11. rule — to rule out
  12. bear — the animal
  13. rule — a law
  14. saw — past of 'see'
  15. bank — for money
  16. ball — a dance
  17. date — on the calendar
  18. bank — of a river
  19. date — on the calendar
  20. spring — of water
  21. spring — a coil
  22. ball — a great time
  23. ball — a round shape
  24. spring — the season

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