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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 116 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 hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  2. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  3. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  4. Where did you ________________ them?
  5. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  6. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  7. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  8. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  9. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  10. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  11. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  12. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  13. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  14. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  15. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  16. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  17. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  18. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  19. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  20. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  21. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  22. The King held a masked ________________.
  23. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  24. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — to recline
  2. racket — a loud noise
  3. bank — for money
  4. mug — to rob
  5. bank — of a river
  6. mug — a cup
  7. spring — the season
  8. racket — for tennis
  9. ball — a round shape
  10. band — a rubber band
  11. bank — for money
  12. prune — to trim
  13. ball — a great time
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. spring — a coil
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. spring — of water
  18. band — a ring
  19. prune — the fruit
  20. band — a music group
  21. racket — for tennis
  22. ball — a dance
  23. prune — to trim
  24. mug — a face

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