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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. We're almost out of ________________.
  3. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  4. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  5. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  6. That was a fun ________________.
  7. You don't need to ________________ round.
  8. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  9. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  10. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  11. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  12. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  13. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  14. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  15. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  16. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  17. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  18. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  19. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  20. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  21. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  22. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  23. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  24. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. pop — soda
  3. can — to be able to
  4. row — a line
  5. fine — all right
  6. game — a match
  7. pop — to visit
  8. bank — of a river
  9. game — a kind of play
  10. ruler — a monarch
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. game — wild animals
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. fine — high quality
  15. can — a tin
  16. fine — a penalty
  17. can — a tin
  18. bear — the animal
  19. pop — music
  20. row — a quarrel
  21. row — to paddle
  22. bank — for money
  23. bear — the animal
  24. bear — to put up with

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