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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 124 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. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  2. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  3. Have you settled on a ________________?
  4. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  5. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  6. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  7. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  8. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  9. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  10. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  11. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  12. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  13. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  14. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  15. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  16. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  17. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  18. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  19. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  20. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  21. How do you ________________ your surname?
  22. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  23. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  24. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. kick — with a leg
  3. date — on the calendar
  4. bank — for money
  5. safe — a strongbox
  6. kick — a thrill
  7. bank — of a river
  8. band — a music group
  9. spell — magic
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. date — on the calendar
  12. board — to get on
  13. spell — a short time
  14. bear — to put up with
  15. band — a rubber band
  16. kick — in football
  17. bank — for money
  18. bear — the animal
  19. board — a committee
  20. board — a flat piece
  21. spell — letters
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. band — a ring
  24. date — the fruit

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