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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. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  2. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  3. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  4. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  5. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  6. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  7. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  8. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  9. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  10. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  11. Have you settled on a ________________?
  12. That was ________________ to happen.
  13. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  14. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  15. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  16. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  17. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  18. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  19. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  20. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  21. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  22. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  23. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  24. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. drill — a practice
  3. bank — of a river
  4. date — the fruit
  5. chip — for betting
  6. wax — to grow
  7. drill — the tool
  8. wax — for sculpting
  9. date — on the calendar
  10. bound — tied together
  11. date — on the calendar
  12. bound — certain
  13. spring — the season
  14. drill — army training
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. bank — for money
  17. spring — a coil
  18. bound — obliged
  19. chip — in a computer
  20. mouse — for a computer
  21. chip — to eat
  22. spring — of water
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. wax — in the ear

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