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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. That must've been a ________________.
  2. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  3. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  4. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  5. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  6. Have you found your soul ________________?
  7. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  8. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  9. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  10. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  11. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  12. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  13. The tickets are free of ________________.
  14. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  15. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  16. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  17. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  18. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  19. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  20. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  21. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  22. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  23. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  24. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — a thrill
  2. scale — in music
  3. bank — for money
  4. mate — to breed
  5. toast — the most admired
  6. mate — a partner
  7. toast — a drink to someone
  8. bat — in an idiom
  9. charge — in control
  10. charge — electricity
  11. rush — to hurry
  12. toast — bread
  13. charge — a price
  14. mark — a grade
  15. bat — for baseball
  16. mark — a trace
  17. bat — the animal
  18. bank — for money
  19. scale — for weighing
  20. scale — size or range
  21. mark — to pay attention
  22. mate — a friend
  23. rush — hurry
  24. bank — of a river

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