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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. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  2. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  3. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  4. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  5. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  6. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  7. I've got to change the light ________________.
  8. The light ________________ burned out.
  9. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  10. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  11. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  12. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  13. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  14. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  15. Have you met the new head ________________?
  16. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  17. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  18. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  19. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  20. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  21. The King held a masked ________________.
  22. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  23. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  24. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.

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

Answer key

  1. track — to keep track
  2. bank — for money
  3. bank — of a river
  4. net — in sport
  5. degree — from a university
  6. track — a path
  7. bulb — for light
  8. bulb — for light
  9. net — after costs
  10. coach — pulled by horses
  11. degree — an amount
  12. hide — animal skin
  13. ball — a great time
  14. degree — temperature
  15. coach — a trainer
  16. hide — to keep secret
  17. track — a song
  18. ball — a round shape
  19. net — for catching
  20. coach — a trainer
  21. ball — a dance
  22. bulb — of a plant
  23. hide — to keep secret
  24. bank — for money

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