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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 116 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. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  2. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  3. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  4. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  5. He works in a ________________ mill.
  6. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  7. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  8. She's very handy with a ________________.
  9. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  10. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  11. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  12. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  13. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  14. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  15. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  16. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  17. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  18. You don't need to ________________ round.
  19. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  20. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  21. He is an ace ________________.
  22. We're almost out of ________________.
  23. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  24. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — past of 'see'
  2. pop — music
  3. bank — for money
  4. leaves — of a tree
  5. saw — the tool
  6. leaves — lets stay
  7. spring — the season
  8. saw — the tool
  9. spring — a coil
  10. chip — for betting
  11. pitcher — a jug
  12. bank — of a river
  13. chip — in a computer
  14. bank — for money
  15. spring — of water
  16. wound — past of 'wind'
  17. wound — an injury
  18. pop — to visit
  19. leaves — to go away
  20. chip — to eat
  21. pitcher — in baseball
  22. pop — soda
  23. pitcher — a jug
  24. wound — an injury

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