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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: bank · net · can · bear · safe · foot · bark · march

  1. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  2. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  3. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  4. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  5. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  6. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  7. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  8. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  9. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  10. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  11. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  12. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  13. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  14. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  15. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  16. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  17. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  18. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  19. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  20. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  21. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  22. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  23. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  24. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — of a river
  2. bear — the animal
  3. march — the month
  4. can — a tin
  5. foot — a measure
  6. bear — to put up with
  7. can — to be able to
  8. bark — of a tree
  9. bank — for money
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. net — after costs
  12. march — the month
  13. march — music
  14. net — for catching
  15. foot — part of the body
  16. bear — the animal
  17. can — a tin
  18. bank — for money
  19. foot — the bottom
  20. safe — out of danger
  21. safe — a strongbox
  22. net — in sport
  23. bark — to shout
  24. bark — a dog's sound

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