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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. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  2. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  3. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  4. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  5. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  6. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  7. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  8. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  9. We're almost out of ________________.
  10. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  11. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  12. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  13. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  14. What do you think of the new ________________?
  15. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  16. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  17. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  18. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  19. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  20. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  21. You don't need to ________________ round.
  22. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  23. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  24. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — music
  2. bank — of a river
  3. net — after costs
  4. club — a group
  5. cabinet — a cupboard
  6. bank — for money
  7. hide — to keep secret
  8. club — for golf
  9. pop — soda
  10. leaves — lets stay
  11. hide — animal skin
  12. club — for dancing
  13. leaves — of a tree
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. rock — to move gently
  16. bank — for money
  17. net — in sport
  18. rock — a stone
  19. leaves — to go away
  20. pop — music
  21. pop — to visit
  22. hide — to keep secret
  23. net — for catching
  24. cabinet — ministers

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