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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. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  2. The King held a masked ________________.
  3. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  4. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  5. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  6. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  7. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  8. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  9. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  10. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  11. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  12. That must've been a ________________.
  13. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  14. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  15. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  16. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  17. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  18. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  19. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  20. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  21. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  22. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  23. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  24. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a great time
  2. ball — a dance
  3. bark — of a tree
  4. fan — a supporter
  5. bank — of a river
  6. rush — hurry
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. bank — for money
  9. jam — in traffic
  10. fan — to cool the air
  11. jam — to spread on bread
  12. rush — a thrill
  13. bark — to shout
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. mark — to pay attention
  17. jam — a tight spot
  18. mark — a trace
  19. ruler — a monarch
  20. rush — to hurry
  21. mark — a grade
  22. ball — a round shape
  23. bank — for money
  24. bark — a dog's sound

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