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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. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  2. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  3. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  4. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  5. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  6. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  7. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  8. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  9. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  10. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  11. The King held a masked ________________.
  12. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  13. Don't do anything ________________.
  14. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  15. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  16. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  17. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  18. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  19. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  20. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  21. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  22. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  23. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  24. That was a fun ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a round shape
  2. fork — a garden tool
  3. bat — in an idiom
  4. game — a kind of play
  5. rash — a series
  6. bank — of a river
  7. bass — the fish
  8. foot — part of the body
  9. bass — low music
  10. bat — for baseball
  11. ball — a dance
  12. rash — on the skin
  13. rash — hasty
  14. ball — a great time
  15. foot — the bottom
  16. fork — to eat with
  17. bat — the animal
  18. game — wild animals
  19. foot — a measure
  20. bass — the instrument
  21. bank — for money
  22. fork — in a road
  23. bank — for money
  24. game — a match

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