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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. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  2. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  3. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  4. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  5. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  6. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  7. The King held a masked ________________.
  8. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  9. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  10. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  11. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  12. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  13. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  14. The water is too ________________.
  15. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  16. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  17. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  18. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  19. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  20. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  21. The tickets are free of ________________.
  22. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  23. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  24. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. fine — a penalty
  3. ball — a round shape
  4. cold — the Cold War
  5. fan — to cool the air
  6. charge — in control
  7. ball — a dance
  8. ball — a great time
  9. fan — a supporter
  10. bowl — to roll
  11. bank — of a river
  12. bank — for money
  13. stick — a piece of wood
  14. cold — not warm
  15. charge — electricity
  16. cold — an illness
  17. stick — to attach or keep to
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. bowl — a dish
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. charge — a price
  22. fine — high quality
  23. fine — all right
  24. bowl — a football final

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