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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. He is an ace ________________.
  2. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  3. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  4. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  5. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  6. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  7. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  8. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  9. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  10. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  11. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  12. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  13. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  14. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  15. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  16. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  17. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  18. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  19. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  20. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  21. Where did you ________________ them?
  22. The King held a masked ________________.
  23. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  24. She's sitting on a gold ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — in baseball
  2. mug — a cup
  3. leaves — to go away
  4. club — for dancing
  5. ball — a round shape
  6. pitcher — a jug
  7. mine — belonging to me
  8. bank — for money
  9. prune — to trim
  10. leaves — of a tree
  11. leaves — lets stay
  12. prune — the fruit
  13. bank — of a river
  14. club — a group
  15. mug — a face
  16. prune — to trim
  17. club — for golf
  18. mine — an explosive
  19. ball — a great time
  20. pitcher — a jug
  21. mug — to rob
  22. ball — a dance
  23. bank — for money
  24. mine — for digging

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