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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. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  2. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  3. The King held a masked ________________.
  4. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  5. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  6. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  7. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  8. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  9. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  10. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  11. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  12. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  13. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  14. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  15. Where did you ________________ them?
  16. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  17. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  18. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  19. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  20. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  21. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  22. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  23. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  24. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. firm — steady
  3. ball — a dance
  4. mug — a face
  5. drill — army training
  6. bear — the animal
  7. ball — a round shape
  8. drill — a practice
  9. band — a ring
  10. bank — for money
  11. stem — a stem cell
  12. stem — to come from
  13. ball — a great time
  14. bank — of a river
  15. mug — to rob
  16. bear — to put up with
  17. band — a music group
  18. drill — the tool
  19. mug — a cup
  20. band — a rubber band
  21. firm — a company
  22. firm — decided
  23. stem — of a plant
  24. bank — for money

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