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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. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  2. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  3. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  4. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  5. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  6. My father caught me by the ________________.
  7. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  8. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  9. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  10. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  11. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  12. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  13. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  14. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  15. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  16. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  17. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  18. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  19. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  20. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  21. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  22. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  23. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  24. Check the label for the sugar ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — of a river
  2. bank — for money
  3. dip — to sink
  4. trunk — of a tree
  5. bank — for money
  6. arm — part of the body
  7. kick — a thrill
  8. can — to be able to
  9. can — a tin
  10. trunk — of a car
  11. rule — a law
  12. rule — to rule out
  13. rule — government
  14. dip — a sauce
  15. dip — to dunk
  16. arm — part of the body
  17. can — a tin
  18. trunk — of an elephant
  19. arm — a part of something
  20. content — videos and posts
  21. kick — with a leg
  22. kick — in football
  23. content — happy
  24. content — the amount

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