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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. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  3. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  4. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  5. That must've been a ________________.
  6. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  7. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  8. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  9. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  10. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  11. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  12. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  13. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  14. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  15. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  16. The King held a masked ________________.
  17. When are we going to ________________?
  18. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  19. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  20. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  21. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  22. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  23. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  24. We were using a ________________ as a seat.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — of a river
  2. land — ground
  3. bank — for money
  4. chair — to sit on
  5. rush — a thrill
  6. ball — a great time
  7. racket — for tennis
  8. ball — a round shape
  9. rush — to hurry
  10. chair — a leader
  11. rock — music
  12. club — a group
  13. land — a country
  14. club — for golf
  15. racket — a loud noise
  16. ball — a dance
  17. land — to come down
  18. club — for dancing
  19. rush — hurry
  20. racket — for tennis
  21. bank — for money
  22. chair — a professorship
  23. rock — to move gently
  24. rock — a stone

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