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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. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  2. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  3. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  4. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  5. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  6. David sat on the ________________.
  7. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  8. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  9. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  10. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  11. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  12. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  13. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  14. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  15. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  16. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  17. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  18. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  19. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  20. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  21. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  22. The tickets are free of ________________.
  23. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  24. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — of a river
  2. deal — a big deal
  3. mark — a grade
  4. pound — a weight
  5. bowl — a football final
  6. swing — to play on
  7. mark — to pay attention
  8. swing — music
  9. pound — for dogs
  10. bank — for money
  11. cap — of ice
  12. pound — to hit hard
  13. deal — an agreement
  14. bowl — a dish
  15. mark — a trace
  16. swing — in golf
  17. cap — a hat
  18. charge — electricity
  19. bank — for money
  20. charge — in control
  21. cap — a lid
  22. charge — a price
  23. deal — to handle
  24. bowl — to roll

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