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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. The King held a masked ________________.
  2. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  3. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  4. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  5. Where did you ________________ them?
  6. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  7. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  8. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  9. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  10. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  11. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  12. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  13. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  14. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  15. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  16. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  17. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  18. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  19. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  20. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  21. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  22. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  23. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  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. ball — a dance
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. scale — size or range
  5. mug — to rob
  6. bank — for money
  7. bank — of a river
  8. lean — thin
  9. mug — a face
  10. lean — to rest against
  11. mug — a cup
  12. fall — the season
  13. bank — for money
  14. ball — a great time
  15. fall — to drop
  16. current — of water
  17. current — electric
  18. lean — to bend
  19. current — happening now
  20. ball — a round shape
  21. fall — to drop
  22. scale — for weighing
  23. lie — to recline
  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