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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. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  3. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  4. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  5. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  6. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  7. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  8. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  9. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  10. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  11. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  12. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  13. The ________________ went through the wall.
  14. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  15. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  16. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  17. Where did you ________________ them?
  18. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  19. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  20. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  21. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  22. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  23. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  24. Should I buy a wireless ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. wind — moving air
  3. mug — a cup
  4. scale — for weighing
  5. wind — moving air
  6. ruler — a monarch
  7. scale — in music
  8. bank — for money
  9. file — a document
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. nail — on a finger
  15. file — a line of people
  16. file — a tool
  17. mug — to rob
  18. scale — size or range
  19. bank — of a river
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. mug — a face
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. wind — to turn a key
  24. mouse — for a computer

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