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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. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  2. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  3. Don't do anything ________________.
  4. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  5. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  6. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  7. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  8. My father caught me by the ________________.
  9. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  10. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  11. Have you settled on a ________________?
  12. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  13. The King held a masked ________________.
  14. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  15. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  16. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  17. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  18. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  19. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  20. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  21. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  22. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  23. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  24. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.

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

Answer key

  1. rash — a series
  2. prune — to trim
  3. rash — hasty
  4. bank — for money
  5. chip — in a computer
  6. bank — of a river
  7. date — on the calendar
  8. arm — part of the body
  9. ball — a great time
  10. prune — the fruit
  11. date — on the calendar
  12. chip — to eat
  13. ball — a dance
  14. bass — the instrument
  15. rash — on the skin
  16. date — the fruit
  17. chip — for betting
  18. bank — for money
  19. prune — to trim
  20. bass — the fish
  21. ball — a round shape
  22. bass — low music
  23. arm — a part of something
  24. arm — part of the body

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