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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. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  2. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  3. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  4. There's no middle ________________.
  5. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  6. He was locked up in a ________________.
  7. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  8. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  9. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  10. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  11. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  12. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  13. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  14. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  15. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  16. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  17. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  18. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  19. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  20. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  21. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  22. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  23. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  24. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.

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

Answer key

  1. ground — crushed
  2. bank — for money
  3. fan — a supporter
  4. ground — a position
  5. fan — to cool the air
  6. cell — in a prison
  7. ground — the earth
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. ruler — a monarch
  11. bank — for money
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. prune — the fruit
  14. racket — a loud noise
  15. racket — for tennis
  16. club — for dancing
  17. cell — a phone
  18. club — a group
  19. racket — for tennis
  20. cell — in biology
  21. prune — to trim
  22. bank — of a river
  23. club — for golf
  24. prune — to trim

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