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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: ball · dip · hide · rest · wake · bank · cell · bear

  1. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  2. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  3. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  4. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  5. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  6. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  7. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  8. He was locked up in a ________________.
  9. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  10. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  11. The King held a masked ________________.
  12. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  13. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  14. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  15. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  16. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  17. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  18. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  19. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  20. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  21. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  22. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  23. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  24. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a round shape
  2. dip — to dunk
  3. bank — for money
  4. wake — a trail
  5. cell — in biology
  6. bear — the animal
  7. bear — to put up with
  8. cell — in a prison
  9. bear — the animal
  10. dip — to sink
  11. ball — a dance
  12. bank — for money
  13. cell — a phone
  14. rest — what's left
  15. rest — what's left
  16. ball — a great time
  17. dip — a sauce
  18. hide — to keep secret
  19. wake — before a funeral
  20. hide — to keep secret
  21. rest — a break
  22. bank — of a river
  23. wake — to stop sleeping
  24. hide — animal skin

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