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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 120 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. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  2. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  3. We're almost out of ________________.
  4. What do you think of the new ________________?
  5. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  6. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  7. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  8. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  9. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  10. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  11. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  12. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  13. You don't need to ________________ round.
  14. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  15. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  16. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  17. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  18. The King held a masked ________________.
  19. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  20. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  21. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  22. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  23. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  24. The kitten curled into a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. present — the time now
  2. bank — for money
  3. pop — soda
  4. cabinet — ministers
  5. present — a gift
  6. craft — a handicraft
  7. present — there
  8. cabinet — a cupboard
  9. rule — government
  10. perch — for a bird
  11. bank — of a river
  12. pop — music
  13. pop — to visit
  14. ball — a great time
  15. rule — to rule out
  16. bank — for money
  17. perch — for a bird
  18. ball — a dance
  19. cabinet — ministers
  20. perch — the fish
  21. rule — a law
  22. craft — a skill
  23. craft — boats
  24. ball — a round shape

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