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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. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  2. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  3. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  4. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  5. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  6. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  7. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  8. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  9. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  10. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  11. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  12. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  13. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  14. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  15. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  16. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  17. The King held a masked ________________.
  18. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  19. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  20. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  21. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  22. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  23. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  24. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — a practice
  2. trunk — of a car
  3. bank — for money
  4. wound — past of 'wind'
  5. ball — a great time
  6. bank — for money
  7. pitch — a sales talk
  8. bank — of a river
  9. drill — army training
  10. trunk — of an elephant
  11. ball — a round shape
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. wound — an injury
  14. pitch — a sports field
  15. face — to point toward
  16. mouse — for a computer
  17. ball — a dance
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. pitch — completely
  20. face — to confront
  21. face — part of the head
  22. trunk — of a tree
  23. drill — the tool
  24. wound — an injury

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