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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. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  2. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  3. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  4. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  5. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  6. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  7. He is an ace ________________.
  8. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  9. That was a fun ________________.
  10. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  11. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  12. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  13. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  14. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  15. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  16. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  17. My mare is ________________ in color.
  18. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  19. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  20. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  21. Did you ________________ the meat?
  22. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  23. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  24. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — for a computer
  2. fork — in a road
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. fork — to eat with
  5. bank — for money
  6. fork — a garden tool
  7. pitcher — in baseball
  8. pitcher — a jug
  9. game — a match
  10. content — videos and posts
  11. game — wild animals
  12. season — in sport
  13. pitcher — a jug
  14. season — of the year
  15. bay — to keep at bay
  16. bank — of a river
  17. bay — a horse colour
  18. bay — a part of the sea
  19. content — the amount
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. season — to add flavour
  22. content — happy
  23. bank — for money
  24. game — a kind of play

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