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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. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  2. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  3. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  4. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  5. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  6. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  7. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  8. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  9. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  10. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  11. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  12. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  13. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  14. When will it ________________ you to start?
  15. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  16. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  17. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  18. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  19. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  20. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  21. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  22. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  23. The ball is in your ________________.
  24. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — of a river
  2. bank — for money
  3. cap — of ice
  4. suit — clothes
  5. scale — size or range
  6. wind — moving air
  7. court — of a king
  8. cap — a lid
  9. scale — for weighing
  10. wind — moving air
  11. wind — to turn a key
  12. suit — in cards
  13. bore — gave birth
  14. suit — to fit
  15. bore — to tire
  16. cap — a hat
  17. racket — for tennis
  18. bore — to drill
  19. racket — for tennis
  20. court — of law
  21. bank — for money
  22. racket — a loud noise
  23. court — for sport
  24. scale — in music

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