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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. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  2. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  3. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  4. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  5. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  6. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  7. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  8. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  9. What do you think of the new ________________?
  10. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  11. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  12. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  13. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  14. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  15. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  16. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  17. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  18. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  19. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  20. Have you found your soul ________________?
  21. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  22. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  23. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  24. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — an agreement
  2. staff — employees
  3. staff — a stick
  4. bank — of a river
  5. fall — to drop
  6. cabinet — a cupboard
  7. bank — for money
  8. staff — employees
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. deal — to handle
  11. bark — to shout
  12. track — a path
  13. bark — of a tree
  14. deal — a big deal
  15. track — a song
  16. fall — the season
  17. fall — to drop
  18. track — to keep track
  19. bank — for money
  20. mate — a partner
  21. mate — a friend
  22. bark — a dog's sound
  23. mate — to breed
  24. cabinet — ministers

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