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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 from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: cell · toast · leaves · hide · bear · bank

  1. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  2. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  3. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  4. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  5. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  6. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  7. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  8. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  9. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  10. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  11. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  12. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  13. He was locked up in a ________________.
  14. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  15. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  16. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  17. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  18. The ________________ change colour in autumn.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — to keep secret
  2. cell — in biology
  3. bank — for money
  4. hide — animal skin
  5. toast — bread
  6. bear — the animal
  7. bear — the animal
  8. toast — a drink to someone
  9. leaves — lets stay
  10. hide — to keep secret
  11. toast — the most admired
  12. bear — to put up with
  13. cell — in a prison
  14. bank — of a river
  15. leaves — to go away
  16. cell — a phone
  17. bank — for money
  18. leaves — of a tree

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