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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 bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  2. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  3. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  4. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  5. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  6. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  7. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  8. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  9. You don't need to ________________ round.
  10. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  11. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  12. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  13. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  14. The King held a masked ________________.
  15. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  16. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  17. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  18. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  19. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  20. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  21. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  22. When are we going to ________________?
  23. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  24. We're almost out of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. jam — in traffic
  2. ball — a round shape
  3. fork — to eat with
  4. present — the time now
  5. bank — of a river
  6. land — a country
  7. scale — for weighing
  8. bank — for money
  9. pop — to visit
  10. fork — a garden tool
  11. fork — in a road
  12. ball — a great time
  13. present — there
  14. ball — a dance
  15. scale — size or range
  16. jam — a tight spot
  17. scale — in music
  18. land — ground
  19. present — a gift
  20. jam — to spread on bread
  21. pop — music
  22. land — to come down
  23. bank — for money
  24. pop — soda

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