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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. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  2. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  3. The King held a masked ________________.
  4. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  5. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  6. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  7. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  8. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  9. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  10. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  11. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  12. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  13. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  14. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  15. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  16. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  17. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  18. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  19. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  20. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  21. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  22. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  23. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  24. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — of a river
  2. wake — before a funeral
  3. ball — a dance
  4. ball — a great time
  5. bore — to tire
  6. ball — a round shape
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. squash — the sport
  9. squash — the vegetable
  10. bore — to drill
  11. march — the month
  12. degree — from a university
  13. degree — an amount
  14. safe — a strongbox
  15. squash — to crush
  16. wake — a trail
  17. march — the month
  18. bank — for money
  19. degree — temperature
  20. wake — to stop sleeping
  21. bank — for money
  22. march — music
  23. safe — out of danger
  24. bore — gave birth

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