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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: rest · firm · pop · cabinet · plane · mate · bear · bank

  1. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  2. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  3. Have you found your soul ________________?
  4. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  5. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  6. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  7. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  8. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  9. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  10. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  11. We're almost out of ________________.
  12. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  13. The ________________ took off on time.
  14. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  15. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  16. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  17. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  18. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  19. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  20. You don't need to ________________ round.
  21. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  22. What do you think of the new ________________?
  23. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  24. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?

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

Answer key

  1. rest — a break
  2. pop — music
  3. mate — a partner
  4. firm — decided
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. cabinet — a cupboard
  7. firm — a company
  8. bear — the animal
  9. bank — for money
  10. rest — what's left
  11. pop — soda
  12. bank — for money
  13. plane — an aircraft
  14. rest — what's left
  15. mate — to breed
  16. plane — in geometry
  17. bank — of a river
  18. firm — steady
  19. bear — the animal
  20. pop — to visit
  21. plane — a tool
  22. cabinet — ministers
  23. bear — to put up with
  24. mate — a friend

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