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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 120 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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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  2. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  3. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  4. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  5. The ball is in your ________________.
  6. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  7. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  8. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  9. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  10. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  11. The King held a masked ________________.
  12. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  13. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  14. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  15. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  16. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  17. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  18. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a round shape
  2. lean — to rest against
  3. squash — to crush
  4. bank — of a river
  5. court — for sport
  6. ball — a great time
  7. fan — to cool the air
  8. squash — the sport
  9. court — of law
  10. fan — a supporter
  11. ball — a dance
  12. squash — the vegetable
  13. bank — for money
  14. lean — to bend
  15. lean — thin
  16. court — of a king
  17. bank — for money
  18. fan — a supporter

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