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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 124 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 don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  3. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  4. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  5. He is an ace ________________.
  6. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  7. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  8. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  9. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  10. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  11. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  12. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  13. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  14. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  15. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  16. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  17. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  18. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  19. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  20. We're on a ________________ here.
  21. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  22. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  23. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  24. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — size or range
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. pitcher — a jug
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. pitcher — in baseball
  6. bank — for money
  7. pitcher — a jug
  8. face — part of the head
  9. bank — of a river
  10. vault — a safe
  11. stem — of a plant
  12. roll — a list
  13. stem — a stem cell
  14. scale — for weighing
  15. stem — to come from
  16. face — to confront
  17. face — to point toward
  18. scale — in music
  19. vault — an arched ceiling
  20. roll — on a roll
  21. bank — for money
  22. vault — in gymnastics
  23. mouse — for a computer
  24. roll — a cake

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