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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. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  2. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  3. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  4. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  5. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  6. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  7. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  8. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  9. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  10. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  11. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  12. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  13. This piece is in a major ________________.
  14. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  15. Did you ________________ the meat?
  16. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  17. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  18. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  19. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  20. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  21. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  22. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  23. That was a fun ________________.
  24. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. season — in sport
  2. bank — for money
  3. mark — a trace
  4. game — a kind of play
  5. perch — for a bird
  6. bank — for money
  7. season — of the year
  8. key — the most important part
  9. bowl — to roll
  10. key — for a lock
  11. mark — to pay attention
  12. bank — of a river
  13. key — in music
  14. bowl — a football final
  15. season — to add flavour
  16. perch — the fish
  17. bowl — a dish
  18. firm — a company
  19. mark — a grade
  20. firm — steady
  21. game — wild animals
  22. firm — decided
  23. game — a match
  24. perch — for a bird

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