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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. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  2. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  3. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  4. The ________________ went through the wall.
  5. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  6. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  7. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  8. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  9. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  10. How do you ________________ your surname?
  11. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  12. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  13. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  14. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  15. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  16. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  17. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  18. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  19. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  20. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  21. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  22. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  23. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  24. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?

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

Answer key

  1. bowl — a football final
  2. nail — on a finger
  3. bank — of a river
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. scale — for weighing
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. spell — magic
  8. file — a document
  9. stick — to attach or keep to
  10. spell — letters
  11. bank — for money
  12. stick — a piece of wood
  13. bowl — to roll
  14. scale — size or range
  15. stick — a piece of wood
  16. object — an aim
  17. bowl — a dish
  18. object — a thing
  19. file — a line of people
  20. spell — a short time
  21. file — a tool
  22. scale — in music
  23. bank — for money
  24. object — to protest

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