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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. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  2. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  3. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  4. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  5. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  6. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  7. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  8. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  9. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  10. My mare is ________________ in color.
  11. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  12. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  13. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  14. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  15. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  16. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  17. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  18. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  19. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  20. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  21. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  22. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  23. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  24. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — size or range
  2. bank — for money
  3. capital — a city
  4. drill — army training
  5. bay — to keep at bay
  6. track — to keep track
  7. scale — for weighing
  8. ruler — a monarch
  9. track — a path
  10. bay — a horse colour
  11. bank — of a river
  12. drill — the tool
  13. drill — a practice
  14. track — a song
  15. scale — in music
  16. bank — for money
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. firm — decided
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. firm — steady
  21. capital — a big letter
  22. capital — money
  23. firm — a company
  24. bay — a part of the sea

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