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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 fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  2. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  3. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  4. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  5. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  6. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  7. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  8. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  9. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  10. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  11. The ball is in your ________________.
  12. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  13. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  14. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  15. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  16. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  17. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  18. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  19. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  20. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  21. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  22. Where did you ________________ them?
  23. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  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. bass — the fish
  2. bank — for money
  3. court — of a king
  4. prune — to trim
  5. bank — for money
  6. dip — to dunk
  7. dip — to sink
  8. bass — low music
  9. mug — a cup
  10. fall — the season
  11. court — for sport
  12. dip — a sauce
  13. prune — the fruit
  14. court — of law
  15. bass — the instrument
  16. wax — in the ear
  17. fall — to drop
  18. wax — to grow
  19. wax — for sculpting
  20. fall — to drop
  21. prune — to trim
  22. mug — to rob
  23. bank — of a river
  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