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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. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  2. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  3. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  4. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  5. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  6. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  7. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  8. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  9. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  10. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  11. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  12. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  13. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  14. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  15. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  16. The ball is in your ________________.
  17. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  18. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  19. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  20. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  21. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  22. When are we going to ________________?
  23. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  24. The train ________________ at six o'clock.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — of a river
  2. foot — a measure
  3. pit — a hole
  4. foot — part of the body
  5. cue — a signal
  6. leaves — of a tree
  7. bank — for money
  8. court — of law
  9. pit — in a race
  10. cue — for pool
  11. land — a country
  12. bear — to put up with
  13. bear — the animal
  14. court — of a king
  15. bank — for money
  16. court — for sport
  17. leaves — lets stay
  18. land — ground
  19. bear — the animal
  20. pit — a fruit stone
  21. cue — a hint
  22. land — to come down
  23. foot — the bottom
  24. leaves — to go away

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