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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. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  2. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  3. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  4. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  5. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  6. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  7. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  8. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  9. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  10. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  11. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  12. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  13. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  14. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  15. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  16. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  17. The ________________ went through the wall.
  18. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  19. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  20. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  21. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  22. I'll be taking the ________________.
  23. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  24. That was ________________ to happen.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. march — music
  3. wind — moving air
  4. bank — for money
  5. bound — tied together
  6. club — for dancing
  7. bank — of a river
  8. bear — the animal
  9. wind — moving air
  10. march — the month
  11. tube — a container
  12. bound — obliged
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. nail — on a finger
  15. march — the month
  16. bear — to put up with
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. club — a group
  19. tube — in a tire
  20. wind — to turn a key
  21. club — for golf
  22. tube — the underground
  23. bear — the animal
  24. bound — certain

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