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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. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  2. Did you ________________ the meat?
  3. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  4. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  5. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  6. What do you think of the new ________________?
  7. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  8. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  9. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  10. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  11. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  12. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  13. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  14. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  15. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  16. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  17. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  18. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  19. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  20. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  21. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  22. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  23. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  24. He is as ________________ as a wolf.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. season — to add flavour
  3. bowl — a dish
  4. rock — to move gently
  5. lean — to bend
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. lean — to rest against
  8. bowl — to roll
  9. net — after costs
  10. scale — for weighing
  11. bank — of a river
  12. season — in sport
  13. cabinet — a cupboard
  14. rock — a stone
  15. season — of the year
  16. net — in sport
  17. scale — size or range
  18. cabinet — ministers
  19. bowl — a football final
  20. net — for catching
  21. bank — for money
  22. rock — music
  23. scale — in music
  24. lean — thin

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