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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: cabinet · mark · bank · bark · hide · stand · leaves · date

  1. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  2. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  3. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  4. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  5. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  6. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  7. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  8. I can't ________________ this cold.
  9. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  10. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  11. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  12. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  13. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  14. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  15. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  16. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  17. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  18. What do you think of the new ________________?
  19. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  20. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  21. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  22. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  23. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  24. Have you settled on a ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — lets stay
  2. hide — animal skin
  3. bank — for money
  4. stand — for spectators
  5. bark — to shout
  6. bank — of a river
  7. bank — for money
  8. stand — to bear
  9. date — the fruit
  10. hide — to keep secret
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. mark — a grade
  13. bark — of a tree
  14. mark — a trace
  15. leaves — to go away
  16. stand — on your feet
  17. hide — to keep secret
  18. cabinet — ministers
  19. cabinet — a cupboard
  20. bark — a dog's sound
  21. mark — to pay attention
  22. leaves — of a tree
  23. date — on the calendar
  24. date — on the calendar

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