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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. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  2. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  3. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  4. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  5. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  6. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  7. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  8. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  9. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  10. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  11. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  12. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  13. That must've been a ________________.
  14. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  15. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  16. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  17. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  18. The ________________ took off on time.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. racket — a loud noise
  3. rush — hurry
  4. march — music
  5. march — the month
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. rush — to hurry
  8. racket — for tennis
  9. march — the month
  10. plane — a tool
  11. mouse — for a computer
  12. bank — of a river
  13. rush — a thrill
  14. plane — in geometry
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. bank — for money
  17. racket — for tennis
  18. plane — an aircraft

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