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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. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  2. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  3. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  4. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  5. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  6. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  7. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  8. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  9. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  10. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  11. Where did you ________________ them?
  12. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  13. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  14. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  15. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  16. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  17. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  18. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  19. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  20. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  21. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  22. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  23. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  24. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.

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

Answer key

  1. hand — part of the body
  2. bank — of a river
  3. prune — to trim
  4. fan — to cool the air
  5. hide — to keep secret
  6. content — the amount
  7. prune — the fruit
  8. mug — a face
  9. hide — to keep secret
  10. prune — to trim
  11. mug — to rob
  12. bank — for money
  13. deal — a big deal
  14. hand — in cards
  15. hand — help
  16. content — happy
  17. deal — to handle
  18. bank — for money
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. mug — a cup
  21. hide — animal skin
  22. content — videos and posts
  23. deal — an agreement
  24. fan — a supporter

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