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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. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  2. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  3. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  4. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  5. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  6. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  7. We're on a ________________ here.
  8. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  9. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  10. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  11. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  12. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  13. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  14. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  15. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  16. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  17. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  18. The King held a masked ________________.
  19. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  20. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  21. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  22. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  23. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  24. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. roll — a list
  2. rule — to rule out
  3. drill — army training
  4. bank — of a river
  5. capital — a big letter
  6. craft — a skill
  7. roll — on a roll
  8. drill — a practice
  9. ball — a round shape
  10. ball — a great time
  11. toast — the most admired
  12. rule — a law
  13. roll — a cake
  14. bank — for money
  15. capital — a city
  16. drill — the tool
  17. rule — government
  18. ball — a dance
  19. craft — a handicraft
  20. toast — a drink to someone
  21. bank — for money
  22. craft — boats
  23. toast — bread
  24. capital — money

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