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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. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  2. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  3. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  4. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  5. The King held a masked ________________.
  6. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  7. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  8. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  9. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  10. That was a fun ________________.
  11. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  12. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  13. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  14. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  15. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  16. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  17. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  18. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  19. That must've been a ________________.
  20. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  21. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  22. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  23. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  24. I had a ________________ with my boss today.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — size or range
  2. bank — for money
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. stick — to attach or keep to
  5. ball — a dance
  6. row — to paddle
  7. bank — for money
  8. bank — of a river
  9. ball — a great time
  10. game — a match
  11. stick — a piece of wood
  12. rush — to hurry
  13. scale — for weighing
  14. scale — in music
  15. ball — a round shape
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. mouse — for a computer
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. rush — a thrill
  20. game — wild animals
  21. row — a line
  22. game — a kind of play
  23. rush — hurry
  24. row — a quarrel

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