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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 116 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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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 · mine · bank · bear · rest · season · can · content

  1. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  2. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  3. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  4. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  5. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  6. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  7. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  8. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  9. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  10. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  11. Where did you ________________ them?
  12. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  13. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  14. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  15. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  16. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  17. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  18. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  19. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  20. Did you ________________ the meat?
  21. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  22. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  23. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  24. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — what's left
  2. rest — what's left
  3. mug — a face
  4. bear — the animal
  5. mine — for digging
  6. bear — the animal
  7. content — happy
  8. bear — to put up with
  9. mug — a cup
  10. content — the amount
  11. mug — to rob
  12. season — of the year
  13. bank — for money
  14. bank — for money
  15. rest — a break
  16. season — in sport
  17. mine — an explosive
  18. can — a tin
  19. content — videos and posts
  20. season — to add flavour
  21. can — to be able to
  22. mine — belonging to me
  23. bank — of a river
  24. can — a tin

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