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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. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  2. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  3. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  4. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  5. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  6. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  7. There's no middle ________________.
  8. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  9. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  10. The King held a masked ________________.
  11. The light ________________ burned out.
  12. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  13. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  14. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  15. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  16. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  17. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  18. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  19. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  20. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  21. When are we going to ________________?
  22. I've got to change the light ________________.
  23. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  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. bank — for money
  2. can — a tin
  3. land — ground
  4. bowl — a football final
  5. land — a country
  6. can — to be able to
  7. ground — a position
  8. bowl — a dish
  9. object — to protest
  10. ball — a dance
  11. bulb — for light
  12. bowl — to roll
  13. bank — of a river
  14. ball — a round shape
  15. object — an aim
  16. bulb — of a plant
  17. ground — crushed
  18. can — a tin
  19. object — a thing
  20. ball — a great time
  21. land — to come down
  22. bulb — for light
  23. ground — the earth
  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