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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. That was a fun ________________.
  2. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  3. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  4. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  5. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  6. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  7. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  8. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  9. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  10. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  11. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  12. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  13. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  14. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  15. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  16. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  17. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  18. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  19. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  20. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  21. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  22. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  23. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  24. I'll be taking the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. game — a match
  2. mine — an explosive
  3. game — wild animals
  4. present — the time now
  5. bank — for money
  6. scale — size or range
  7. present — there
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. scale — for weighing
  10. bank — of a river
  11. safe — a strongbox
  12. mine — for digging
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. mine — belonging to me
  15. lean — to bend
  16. game — a kind of play
  17. tube — in a tire
  18. lean — to rest against
  19. tube — a container
  20. bank — for money
  21. present — a gift
  22. lean — thin
  23. scale — in music
  24. tube — the underground

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