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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. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  2. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  3. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  4. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  5. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  6. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  7. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  8. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  9. The tickets are free of ________________.
  10. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  11. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  12. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  13. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  14. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  15. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  16. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  17. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  18. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  19. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  20. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  21. The King held a masked ________________.
  22. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  23. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  24. The old man leaned on his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — of a river
  2. staff — employees
  3. ball — a round shape
  4. charge — in control
  5. track — a song
  6. bank — for money
  7. ball — a great time
  8. march — the month
  9. charge — a price
  10. bank — for money
  11. perch — the fish
  12. racket — for tennis
  13. staff — employees
  14. track — a path
  15. track — to keep track
  16. perch — for a bird
  17. charge — electricity
  18. perch — for a bird
  19. racket — for tennis
  20. racket — a loud noise
  21. ball — a dance
  22. march — the month
  23. march — music
  24. staff — a stick

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