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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. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  2. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  3. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  4. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  5. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  6. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  7. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  8. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  9. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  10. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  11. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  12. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  13. She's very handy with a ________________.
  14. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  15. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  16. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  17. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  18. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  19. He works in a ________________ mill.
  20. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  21. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  22. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  23. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  24. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.

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

Answer key

  1. mine — an explosive
  2. fall — to drop
  3. scale — for weighing
  4. scale — in music
  5. bank — of a river
  6. bowl — a football final
  7. board — to get on
  8. board — a committee
  9. saw — past of 'see'
  10. scale — size or range
  11. board — a flat piece
  12. bank — for money
  13. saw — the tool
  14. deal — an agreement
  15. fall — the season
  16. mine — belonging to me
  17. deal — a big deal
  18. mine — for digging
  19. saw — the tool
  20. fall — to drop
  21. bank — for money
  22. bowl — a dish
  23. bowl — to roll
  24. deal — to handle

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