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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: foot · rule · clip · dip · bark · bank · pop · content

  1. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  2. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  3. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  4. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  5. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  6. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  7. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  8. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  9. You don't need to ________________ round.
  10. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  11. We're almost out of ________________.
  12. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  13. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  14. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  15. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  16. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  17. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  18. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  19. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  20. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  21. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  22. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  23. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  24. I have a corn on my right ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to dunk
  2. bank — for money
  3. foot — a measure
  4. bank — for money
  5. content — the amount
  6. rule — to rule out
  7. dip — a sauce
  8. rule — a law
  9. pop — to visit
  10. bark — to shout
  11. pop — soda
  12. clip — to cut
  13. clip — for paper
  14. content — happy
  15. content — videos and posts
  16. dip — to sink
  17. bark — a dog's sound
  18. foot — the bottom
  19. rule — government
  20. clip — a video
  21. pop — music
  22. bark — of a tree
  23. bank — of a river
  24. foot — part of the body

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