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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. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  2. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  3. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  4. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  5. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  6. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  7. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  8. Have you settled on a ________________?
  9. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  10. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  11. We're on a ________________ here.
  12. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  13. The ball is in your ________________.
  14. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  15. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  16. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  17. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  18. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  19. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  20. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  21. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  22. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  23. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  24. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. court — of a king
  3. chip — in a computer
  4. lean — thin
  5. bank — of a river
  6. can — to be able to
  7. chip — for betting
  8. date — on the calendar
  9. date — on the calendar
  10. mouse — for a computer
  11. roll — on a roll
  12. bank — for money
  13. court — for sport
  14. can — a tin
  15. date — the fruit
  16. lean — to bend
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. roll — a list
  19. court — of law
  20. can — a tin
  21. chip — to eat
  22. lean — to rest against
  23. roll — a cake
  24. bank — for money

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