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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. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  2. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  3. I can't ________________ this cold.
  4. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  5. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  6. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  7. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  8. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  9. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  10. The ________________ went through the wall.
  11. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  12. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  13. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  14. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  15. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  16. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  17. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  18. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  19. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  20. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  21. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  22. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  23. The King held a masked ________________.
  24. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — of a river
  2. wake — a trail
  3. stand — to bear
  4. nail — on a finger
  5. bank — for money
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. ball — a great time
  8. wake — to stop sleeping
  9. ball — a round shape
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. present — a gift
  12. wake — before a funeral
  13. racket — for tennis
  14. stand — on your feet
  15. stand — for spectators
  16. bank — for money
  17. present — the time now
  18. racket — for tennis
  19. capital — a city
  20. capital — a big letter
  21. racket — a loud noise
  22. present — there
  23. ball — a dance
  24. capital — money

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