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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. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  2. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  3. When will it ________________ you to start?
  4. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  5. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  6. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  7. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  8. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  9. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  10. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  11. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  12. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  13. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  14. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  15. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  16. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  17. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  18. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  19. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  20. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  21. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  22. My mare is ________________ in color.
  23. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  24. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. club — for dancing
  2. bank — for money
  3. suit — to fit
  4. chest — of your body
  5. scale — for weighing
  6. net — in sport
  7. bay — to keep at bay
  8. scale — in music
  9. chest — of your body
  10. pound — to hit hard
  11. scale — size or range
  12. pound — for dogs
  13. chest — a box
  14. pound — a weight
  15. net — after costs
  16. suit — clothes
  17. club — a group
  18. bay — a part of the sea
  19. club — for golf
  20. bank — for money
  21. net — for catching
  22. bay — a horse colour
  23. bank — of a river
  24. suit — in cards

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