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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. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  2. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  3. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  4. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  5. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  6. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  7. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  8. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  9. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  10. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  11. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  12. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  13. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  14. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  15. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  16. The King held a masked ________________.
  17. When are we going to ________________?
  18. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  19. David sat on the ________________.
  20. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  21. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  22. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  23. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  24. Should I buy a wireless ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. wound — past of 'wind'
  3. firm — decided
  4. firm — a company
  5. wound — an injury
  6. land — a country
  7. ball — a great time
  8. wound — an injury
  9. bear — the animal
  10. bank — for money
  11. bear — the animal
  12. bank — of a river
  13. bank — for money
  14. swing — music
  15. ball — a round shape
  16. ball — a dance
  17. land — to come down
  18. bear — to put up with
  19. swing — to play on
  20. firm — steady
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. land — ground
  23. swing — in golf
  24. mouse — for a computer

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