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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'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  2. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  3. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  4. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  5. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  6. He is an ace ________________.
  7. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  8. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  9. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  10. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  11. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  12. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  13. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  14. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  15. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  16. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  17. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  18. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  19. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  20. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  21. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  22. That was a fun ________________.
  23. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  24. Fill up this ________________ with water.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. deal — to handle
  3. prune — to trim
  4. bank — of a river
  5. craft — a handicraft
  6. pitcher — in baseball
  7. bank — for money
  8. cue — a hint
  9. craft — a skill
  10. game — a kind of play
  11. craft — boats
  12. game — wild animals
  13. cue — for pool
  14. cue — a signal
  15. rest — what's left
  16. deal — an agreement
  17. deal — a big deal
  18. prune — the fruit
  19. rest — what's left
  20. rest — a break
  21. pitcher — a jug
  22. game — a match
  23. prune — to trim
  24. pitcher — a jug

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