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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. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  2. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  3. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  4. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  5. When will it ________________ you to start?
  6. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  7. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  8. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  9. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  10. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  11. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  12. Where did you ________________ them?
  13. False peace will not ________________.
  14. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  15. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  16. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  17. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  18. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  19. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  20. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  21. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  22. The ________________ went through the wall.
  23. My mare is ________________ in color.
  24. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.

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

Answer key

  1. last — final
  2. bank — for money
  3. net — for catching
  4. net — after costs
  5. suit — to fit
  6. bank — for money
  7. bank — of a river
  8. mug — a face
  9. bay — to keep at bay
  10. bay — a part of the sea
  11. suit — in cards
  12. mug — to rob
  13. last — to go on
  14. mug — a cup
  15. suit — clothes
  16. tear — from crying
  17. tear — to rip
  18. net — in sport
  19. tear — from crying
  20. last — finally
  21. nail — on a finger
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. bay — a horse colour
  24. nail — for a hammer

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