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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. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  2. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  3. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  4. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  5. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  6. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  7. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  8. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  9. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  10. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  11. The ________________ took off on time.
  12. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  13. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  14. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  15. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  16. We're on a ________________ here.
  17. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  18. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  19. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  20. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  21. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  22. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  23. The ________________ went through the wall.
  24. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. toast — bread
  3. bank — of a river
  4. bark — of a tree
  5. band — a rubber band
  6. band — a ring
  7. plane — in geometry
  8. toast — a drink to someone
  9. nail — on a finger
  10. plane — a tool
  11. plane — an aircraft
  12. bark — a dog's sound
  13. hide — to keep secret
  14. toast — the most admired
  15. hide — animal skin
  16. roll — on a roll
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. roll — a cake
  19. hide — to keep secret
  20. band — a music group
  21. bark — to shout
  22. roll — a list
  23. nail — for a hammer
  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