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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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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 teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  2. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  3. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  4. The King held a masked ________________.
  5. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  6. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  7. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  8. She's very handy with a ________________.
  9. We're on a ________________ here.
  10. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  11. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  12. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  13. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  14. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  15. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  16. He works in a ________________ mill.
  17. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  18. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.

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

Answer key

  1. roll — a list
  2. stick — to attach or keep to
  3. ball — a round shape
  4. ball — a dance
  5. bank — of a river
  6. bank — for money
  7. hide — to keep secret
  8. saw — the tool
  9. roll — on a roll
  10. saw — past of 'see'
  11. ball — a great time
  12. roll — a cake
  13. stick — a piece of wood
  14. bank — for money
  15. stick — a piece of wood
  16. saw — the tool
  17. hide — to keep secret
  18. hide — animal skin

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