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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. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  2. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  3. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  4. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  5. There's no middle ________________.
  6. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  7. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  8. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  9. My mare is ________________ in color.
  10. The King held a masked ________________.
  11. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  12. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  13. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  14. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  15. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  16. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  17. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  18. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  19. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  20. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  21. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  22. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  23. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  24. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. ground — crushed
  3. ball — a round shape
  4. ground — the earth
  5. ground — a position
  6. band — a ring
  7. field — farmland
  8. band — a music group
  9. bay — a horse colour
  10. ball — a dance
  11. bank — of a river
  12. pit — in a race
  13. field — for sport
  14. pit — a fruit stone
  15. bay — to keep at bay
  16. rest — what's left
  17. band — a rubber band
  18. field — a subject
  19. pit — a hole
  20. bank — for money
  21. rest — a break
  22. bay — a part of the sea
  23. rest — what's left
  24. ball — a great time

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