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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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Word bank
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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 pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  2. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  3. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  4. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  5. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  6. The King held a masked ________________.
  7. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  8. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  9. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  10. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  11. He is an ace ________________.
  12. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  13. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  14. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  15. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  16. Don't do anything ________________.
  17. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  18. That was a fun ________________.
  19. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  20. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  21. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  22. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  23. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  24. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.

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

Answer key

  1. game — wild animals
  2. fine — high quality
  3. game — a kind of play
  4. branch — of a bank
  5. rash — a series
  6. ball — a dance
  7. bass — the instrument
  8. fine — all right
  9. mouse — for a computer
  10. rash — on the skin
  11. pitcher — in baseball
  12. fine — a penalty
  13. branch — of a tree
  14. ball — a great time
  15. branch — a division
  16. rash — hasty
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. game — a match
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. bass — low music
  21. bass — the fish
  22. pitcher — a jug
  23. ball — a round shape
  24. pitcher — a jug

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