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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 124 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. It's one o'clock ________________.
  2. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  3. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  4. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  5. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  6. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  7. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  8. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  9. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  10. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  11. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  12. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  13. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  14. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  15. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  16. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  17. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  18. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  19. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  20. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  21. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  22. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  23. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  24. The King held a masked ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — exactly
  2. bank — for money
  3. squash — to crush
  4. sharp — with an edge
  5. pound — a weight
  6. squash — the sport
  7. bowl — a football final
  8. pound — for dogs
  9. bowl — a dish
  10. rule — a law
  11. squash — the vegetable
  12. bank — of a river
  13. bowl — to roll
  14. root — of a word
  15. root — of a plant
  16. sharp — clever
  17. rule — government
  18. bank — for money
  19. ball — a great time
  20. pound — to hit hard
  21. ball — a round shape
  22. rule — to rule out
  23. root — the cause
  24. ball — a dance

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