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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. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  3. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  4. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  5. The ball is in your ________________.
  6. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  7. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  8. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  9. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  10. The King held a masked ________________.
  11. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  12. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  13. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  14. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  15. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  16. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  17. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  18. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  19. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  20. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  21. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  22. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  23. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  24. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — of a river
  2. fine — a penalty
  3. foot — the bottom
  4. bank — for money
  5. court — for sport
  6. court — of a king
  7. ball — a great time
  8. fine — high quality
  9. kid — to tease
  10. ball — a dance
  11. fine — all right
  12. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  13. fall — to drop
  14. court — of law
  15. fall — the season
  16. kid — child
  17. deal — to handle
  18. deal — a big deal
  19. deal — an agreement
  20. fall — to drop
  21. ball — a round shape
  22. foot — part of the body
  23. bank — for money
  24. foot — a measure

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