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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 120 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. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  3. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  4. Don't do anything ________________.
  5. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  6. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  7. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  8. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  9. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  10. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  11. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  12. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  13. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  14. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  15. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  16. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  17. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  18. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  19. He is an ace ________________.
  20. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  21. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  22. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  23. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  24. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.

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

Answer key

  1. game — a match
  2. bank — for money
  3. net — after costs
  4. rash — hasty
  5. pitcher — a jug
  6. rash — a series
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. bank — of a river
  9. safe — a strongbox
  10. craft — boats
  11. craft — a handicraft
  12. rash — on the skin
  13. net — for catching
  14. can — a tin
  15. net — in sport
  16. craft — a skill
  17. can — to be able to
  18. can — a tin
  19. pitcher — in baseball
  20. pitcher — a jug
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. game — a kind of play
  23. game — wild animals
  24. bank — for money

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