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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 shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  2. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  3. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  4. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  5. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  6. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  7. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  8. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  9. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  10. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  11. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  12. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  13. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  14. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  15. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  16. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  17. My mare is ________________ in color.
  18. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  19. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  20. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  21. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  22. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  23. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  24. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — high quality
  2. snap — to snap out of it
  3. object — a thing
  4. bowl — to roll
  5. fine — a penalty
  6. spring — the season
  7. object — to protest
  8. spring — a coil
  9. chip — in a computer
  10. chip — to eat
  11. bowl — a football final
  12. bank — for money
  13. spring — of water
  14. bowl — a dish
  15. bay — to keep at bay
  16. fine — all right
  17. bay — a horse colour
  18. snap — to speak sharply
  19. bay — a part of the sea
  20. snap — to click
  21. bank — for money
  22. chip — for betting
  23. bank — of a river
  24. object — an aim

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