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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. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  2. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  3. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  4. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  5. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  6. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  7. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  8. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  9. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  10. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  11. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  12. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  13. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  14. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  15. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  16. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  17. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  18. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  19. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  20. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  21. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  22. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  23. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  24. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — in music
  2. fan — a supporter
  3. hand — help
  4. hand — part of the body
  5. bass — low music
  6. racket — a loud noise
  7. bank — of a river
  8. prune — to trim
  9. hand — in cards
  10. prune — the fruit
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. lie — to recline
  13. bass — the fish
  14. scale — for weighing
  15. racket — for tennis
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. bank — for money
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. fan — to cool the air
  20. prune — to trim
  21. racket — for tennis
  22. bass — the instrument
  23. bank — for money
  24. scale — size or range

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