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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. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  3. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  4. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  5. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  6. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  7. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  8. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  9. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  10. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  11. When was this ________________ built?
  12. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  13. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  14. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  15. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  16. When will it ________________ you to start?
  17. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  18. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  19. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  20. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  21. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  22. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  23. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  24. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. temple — a place of worship
  3. bank — of a river
  4. bark — to shout
  5. mark — to pay attention
  6. bark — of a tree
  7. bank — for money
  8. mark — a grade
  9. toast — the most admired
  10. bank — for money
  11. temple — a place of worship
  12. bear — the animal
  13. temple — side of the head
  14. toast — bread
  15. toast — a drink to someone
  16. suit — to fit
  17. bark — a dog's sound
  18. staff — a stick
  19. bear — to put up with
  20. mark — a trace
  21. suit — in cards
  22. staff — employees
  23. staff — employees
  24. suit — clothes

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