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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. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  2. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  3. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  4. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  5. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  6. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  7. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  8. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  9. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  10. Have you found your soul ________________?
  11. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  12. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  13. The King held a masked ________________.
  14. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  15. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  16. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  17. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  18. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  19. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  20. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  21. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  22. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  23. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  24. Do you need a ________________ with that?

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

Answer key

  1. scale — size or range
  2. ball — a round shape
  3. hand — part of the body
  4. bank — for money
  5. scale — for weighing
  6. lie — to recline
  7. ball — a great time
  8. hand — in cards
  9. trunk — of a car
  10. mate — a partner
  11. scale — in music
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. ball — a dance
  14. bank — of a river
  15. bank — for money
  16. trunk — of a tree
  17. ruler — a monarch
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. trunk — of an elephant
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. mate — to breed
  23. mate — a friend
  24. hand — help

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