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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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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: roll · wind · bark · stick · bank · rest · mug · lie

  1. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  2. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  3. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  4. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  5. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  6. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  7. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  8. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  9. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  10. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  11. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  12. Where did you ________________ them?
  13. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  14. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  15. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  16. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  17. We're on a ________________ here.
  18. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  19. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  20. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  21. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  22. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  23. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  24. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — a break
  2. wind — to turn a key
  3. roll — a cake
  4. bark — to shout
  5. bank — of a river
  6. bank — for money
  7. bark — of a tree
  8. stick — a piece of wood
  9. mug — a face
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. rest — what's left
  12. mug — to rob
  13. stick — to attach or keep to
  14. wind — moving air
  15. rest — what's left
  16. bank — for money
  17. roll — on a roll
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. bark — a dog's sound
  20. lie — to recline
  21. roll — a list
  22. lie — an untruth
  23. mug — a cup
  24. wind — moving air

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