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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.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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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: mug · stand · cabinet · chest · mine · bank · net · bear

  1. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  2. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  3. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  4. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  5. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  6. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  7. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  8. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  9. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  10. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  11. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  12. I can't ________________ this cold.
  13. Where did you ________________ them?
  14. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  15. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  16. What do you think of the new ________________?
  17. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  18. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  19. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  20. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  21. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  22. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  23. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  24. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — of a river
  2. chest — of your body
  3. mine — for digging
  4. bank — for money
  5. mine — belonging to me
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. mug — a cup
  8. net — after costs
  9. bear — to put up with
  10. net — for catching
  11. stand — for spectators
  12. stand — to bear
  13. mug — to rob
  14. bear — the animal
  15. stand — on your feet
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. bank — for money
  18. net — in sport
  19. chest — a box
  20. chest — of your body
  21. mug — a face
  22. cabinet — a cupboard
  23. mine — an explosive
  24. bear — the animal

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