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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. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  2. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  3. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  4. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  5. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  6. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  7. You don't need to ________________ round.
  8. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  9. The King held a masked ________________.
  10. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  11. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  12. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  13. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  14. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  15. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  16. How do you ________________ your surname?
  17. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  18. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  19. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  20. We're almost out of ________________.
  21. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  22. Have you met the new head ________________?
  23. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  24. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a round shape
  2. ball — a great time
  3. file — a tool
  4. stick — a piece of wood
  5. pit — a fruit stone
  6. pop — music
  7. pop — to visit
  8. spell — a short time
  9. ball — a dance
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. pit — in a race
  12. stick — to attach or keep to
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. file — a line of people
  15. file — a document
  16. spell — letters
  17. coach — pulled by horses
  18. bank — for money
  19. pit — a hole
  20. pop — soda
  21. bank — of a river
  22. coach — a trainer
  23. spell — magic
  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