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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. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  2. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  3. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  4. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  5. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  6. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  7. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  8. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  9. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  10. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  11. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  12. It's one o'clock ________________.
  13. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  14. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  15. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  16. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  17. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  18. The King held a masked ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. ball — a great time
  3. board — a flat piece
  4. sharp — with an edge
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. mouse — for a computer
  7. net — in sport
  8. net — for catching
  9. bank — of a river
  10. sharp — clever
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. sharp — exactly
  13. board — to get on
  14. net — after costs
  15. ball — a round shape
  16. bank — for money
  17. board — a committee
  18. ball — a dance

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