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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 116 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. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  3. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  4. That was a fun ________________.
  5. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  6. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  7. The King held a masked ________________.
  8. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  9. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  10. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  11. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  12. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  13. I can't ________________ this cold.
  14. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  15. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  16. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  17. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  18. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  19. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  20. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  21. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  22. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  23. The ________________ took off on time.
  24. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. stand — for spectators
  3. ball — a round shape
  4. game — a match
  5. bank — for money
  6. branch — of a bank
  7. ball — a dance
  8. plane — in geometry
  9. object — an aim
  10. plane — a tool
  11. game — a kind of play
  12. bank — of a river
  13. stand — to bear
  14. branch — a division
  15. content — happy
  16. stand — on your feet
  17. content — the amount
  18. content — videos and posts
  19. game — wild animals
  20. ball — a great time
  21. branch — of a tree
  22. object — a thing
  23. plane — an aircraft
  24. object — to protest

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