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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 120 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: bank · dip · last · mug · cabinet · leaves · fan · march

  1. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  2. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  3. False peace will not ________________.
  4. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  5. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  6. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  7. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  8. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  9. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  10. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  11. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  12. What do you think of the new ________________?
  13. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  14. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  15. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  16. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  17. Where did you ________________ them?
  18. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  19. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  20. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  21. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  22. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  23. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  24. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — a face
  2. leaves — of a tree
  3. last — to go on
  4. cabinet — a cupboard
  5. march — the month
  6. leaves — lets stay
  7. last — final
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. mug — a cup
  10. march — the month
  11. bank — for money
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. leaves — to go away
  14. dip — to sink
  15. fan — to cool the air
  16. last — finally
  17. mug — to rob
  18. dip — a sauce
  19. bank — for money
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. cabinet — ministers
  22. dip — to dunk
  23. bank — of a river
  24. march — music

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