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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: cell · date · kick · rest · hide · bowl · bank · bay

  1. Have you settled on a ________________?
  2. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  3. My mare is ________________ in color.
  4. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  5. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  6. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  7. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  8. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  9. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  10. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  11. He was locked up in a ________________.
  12. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  13. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  14. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  15. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  16. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  17. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  18. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  19. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  20. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  21. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  22. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  23. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  24. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.

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

Answer key

  1. date — on the calendar
  2. bank — for money
  3. bay — a horse colour
  4. bank — of a river
  5. bay — to keep at bay
  6. bank — for money
  7. rest — a break
  8. hide — to keep secret
  9. kick — with a leg
  10. bowl — a football final
  11. cell — in a prison
  12. bowl — a dish
  13. hide — to keep secret
  14. date — the fruit
  15. rest — what's left
  16. hide — animal skin
  17. date — on the calendar
  18. kick — in football
  19. cell — a phone
  20. bay — a part of the sea
  21. cell — in biology
  22. kick — a thrill
  23. rest — what's left
  24. bowl — to roll

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