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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. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  2. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  3. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  4. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  5. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  6. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  7. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  8. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  9. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  10. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  11. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  12. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  13. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  14. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  15. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  16. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  17. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  18. Where did you ________________ them?
  19. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  20. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  21. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  22. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  23. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  24. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. foot — part of the body
  3. fan — a supporter
  4. bear — the animal
  5. bear — to put up with
  6. bank — for money
  7. face — part of the head
  8. clip — for paper
  9. foot — a measure
  10. chip — to eat
  11. clip — to cut
  12. mug — a cup
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. mug — a face
  15. face — to point toward
  16. face — to confront
  17. fan — to cool the air
  18. mug — to rob
  19. chip — for betting
  20. foot — the bottom
  21. bank — of a river
  22. chip — in a computer
  23. clip — a video
  24. bank — for money

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