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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. The water is too ________________.
  2. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  3. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  4. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  5. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  6. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  7. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  8. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  9. The King held a masked ________________.
  10. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  11. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  12. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  13. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  14. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  15. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  16. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  17. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  18. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  19. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  20. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  21. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  22. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  23. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  24. He hit the ball with his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cold — not warm
  2. racket — for tennis
  3. bank — for money
  4. cold — the Cold War
  5. cold — an illness
  6. bear — the animal
  7. ball — a round shape
  8. chip — in a computer
  9. ball — a dance
  10. pound — a weight
  11. pound — to hit hard
  12. bowl — a dish
  13. chip — for betting
  14. bank — for money
  15. bear — the animal
  16. pound — for dogs
  17. bowl — a football final
  18. chip — to eat
  19. bear — to put up with
  20. ball — a great time
  21. racket — a loud noise
  22. bowl — to roll
  23. bank — of a river
  24. racket — for tennis

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