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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. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  2. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  3. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  4. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  5. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  6. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  7. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  8. Where did you ________________ them?
  9. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  10. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  11. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  12. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  13. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  14. What do you think of the new ________________?
  15. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  16. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  17. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  18. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  19. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  20. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  21. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  22. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  23. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  24. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. scale — for weighing
  3. fine — a penalty
  4. mug — a face
  5. mug — a cup
  6. leaves — of a tree
  7. leaves — to go away
  8. mug — to rob
  9. cabinet — a cupboard
  10. fine — all right
  11. capital — a city
  12. scale — in music
  13. spring — of water
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. bank — for money
  16. capital — money
  17. fine — high quality
  18. spring — the season
  19. bank — of a river
  20. spring — a coil
  21. cabinet — ministers
  22. scale — size or range
  23. leaves — lets stay
  24. capital — a big letter

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