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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. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  2. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  3. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  4. The King held a masked ________________.
  5. My mare is ________________ in color.
  6. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  7. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  8. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  9. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  10. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  11. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  12. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  13. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  14. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  15. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  16. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  17. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  18. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  19. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  20. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  21. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  22. When are we going to ________________?
  23. I'll be taking the ________________.
  24. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a round shape
  2. bank — for money
  3. scale — for weighing
  4. ball — a dance
  5. bay — a horse colour
  6. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  7. land — ground
  8. scale — size or range
  9. land — a country
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. bank — for money
  12. kid — to tease
  13. ball — a great time
  14. tube — a container
  15. bank — of a river
  16. bay — to keep at bay
  17. kid — child
  18. tube — in a tire
  19. stick — a piece of wood
  20. scale — in music
  21. bay — a part of the sea
  22. land — to come down
  23. tube — the underground
  24. stick — to attach or keep to

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