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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: ball · bark · bank · capital · cell · cue · can · hide

  1. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  2. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  3. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  4. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  5. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  6. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  7. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  8. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  9. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  10. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  11. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  12. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  13. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  14. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  15. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  16. The King held a masked ________________.
  17. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  18. He was locked up in a ________________.
  19. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  20. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  21. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  22. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  23. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  24. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. hide — to keep secret
  3. bark — to shout
  4. ball — a great time
  5. hide — to keep secret
  6. ball — a round shape
  7. bank — of a river
  8. bank — for money
  9. can — to be able to
  10. cue — for pool
  11. capital — money
  12. bark — a dog's sound
  13. cell — in biology
  14. cue — a signal
  15. cell — a phone
  16. ball — a dance
  17. capital — a city
  18. cell — in a prison
  19. bark — of a tree
  20. hide — animal skin
  21. can — a tin
  22. cue — a hint
  23. capital — a big letter
  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