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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. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  2. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  3. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  4. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  5. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  6. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  7. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  8. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  9. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  10. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  11. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  12. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  13. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  14. The King held a masked ________________.
  15. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  16. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  17. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  18. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  19. There's no middle ________________.
  20. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  21. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  22. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  23. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  24. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. ball — a great time
  3. mark — a trace
  4. fine — high quality
  5. kid — to tease
  6. fine — a penalty
  7. ball — a round shape
  8. chip — to eat
  9. bass — low music
  10. fine — all right
  11. bank — of a river
  12. mark — a grade
  13. bank — for money
  14. ball — a dance
  15. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  16. mark — to pay attention
  17. bass — the fish
  18. chip — in a computer
  19. ground — a position
  20. ground — crushed
  21. chip — for betting
  22. bass — the instrument
  23. kid — child
  24. ground — the earth

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