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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. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  2. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  3. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  4. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  5. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  6. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  7. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  8. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  9. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  10. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  11. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  12. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  13. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  14. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  15. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  16. The King held a masked ________________.
  17. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  18. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  19. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  20. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  21. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  22. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  23. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  24. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bowl — a dish
  2. bowl — to roll
  3. mark — a trace
  4. bank — for money
  5. object — a thing
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. shower — rain
  8. mark — to pay attention
  9. shower — to wash
  10. bank — of a river
  11. stick — a piece of wood
  12. object — to protest
  13. bowl — a football final
  14. shower — a meteor shower
  15. rule — a law
  16. ball — a dance
  17. mark — a grade
  18. stick — to attach or keep to
  19. rule — government
  20. ball — a round shape
  21. ball — a great time
  22. bank — for money
  23. rule — to rule out
  24. object — an aim

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