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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 120 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. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  2. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  3. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  4. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  5. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  6. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  7. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  8. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  9. It's one o'clock ________________.
  10. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  11. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  12. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  13. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  14. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  15. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  16. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  17. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  18. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  19. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  20. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  21. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  22. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  23. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  24. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. band — a music group
  2. fan — a supporter
  3. band — a rubber band
  4. leaves — lets stay
  5. bank — of a river
  6. leaves — of a tree
  7. bank — for money
  8. fan — to cool the air
  9. sharp — exactly
  10. bank — for money
  11. content — videos and posts
  12. hide — to keep secret
  13. sharp — clever
  14. leaves — to go away
  15. hide — to keep secret
  16. face — to point toward
  17. content — the amount
  18. sharp — with an edge
  19. hide — animal skin
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. face — part of the head
  22. content — happy
  23. face — to confront
  24. band — a ring

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