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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. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  2. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  3. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  4. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  5. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  6. The ________________ took off on time.
  7. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  8. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  9. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  10. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  11. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  12. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  13. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  14. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  15. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  16. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  17. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  18. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  19. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  20. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  21. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  22. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  23. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  24. The ball hit the back of the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. foot — the bottom
  3. net — for catching
  4. fan — a supporter
  5. fan — to cool the air
  6. plane — an aircraft
  7. wind — moving air
  8. dip — to sink
  9. drill — army training
  10. dip — to dunk
  11. plane — a tool
  12. dip — a sauce
  13. wind — to turn a key
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. bank — for money
  16. wind — moving air
  17. drill — the tool
  18. foot — a measure
  19. net — after costs
  20. bank — of a river
  21. drill — a practice
  22. plane — in geometry
  23. foot — part of the body
  24. net — in sport

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