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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. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  2. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  3. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  4. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  5. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  6. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  7. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  8. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  9. The ball is in your ________________.
  10. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  11. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  12. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  13. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  14. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  15. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  16. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  17. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  18. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  19. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  20. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  21. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  22. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  23. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  24. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. leaves — lets stay
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. leaves — to go away
  6. cap — of ice
  7. court — of law
  8. fork — in a road
  9. court — for sport
  10. wake — a trail
  11. cap — a hat
  12. fork — a garden tool
  13. wake — before a funeral
  14. safe — a strongbox
  15. wake — to stop sleeping
  16. mouse — for a computer
  17. leaves — of a tree
  18. bank — of a river
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. fork — to eat with
  21. bank — for money
  22. court — of a king
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. cap — a lid

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