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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 thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  2. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  3. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  4. She's very handy with a ________________.
  5. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  6. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  7. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  8. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  9. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  10. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  11. When are we going to ________________?
  12. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  13. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  14. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  15. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  16. The King held a masked ________________.
  17. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  18. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  19. He works in a ________________ mill.
  20. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  21. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  22. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  23. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  24. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. mark — a grade
  3. land — ground
  4. saw — the tool
  5. bank — of a river
  6. mark — a trace
  7. bank — for money
  8. hand — part of the body
  9. firm — decided
  10. mouse — for a computer
  11. land — to come down
  12. saw — past of 'see'
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. firm — a company
  15. land — a country
  16. ball — a dance
  17. hand — help
  18. ball — a round shape
  19. saw — the tool
  20. hand — in cards
  21. ball — a great time
  22. bank — for money
  23. firm — steady
  24. mark — to pay attention

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