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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. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  2. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  3. The King held a masked ________________.
  4. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  5. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  6. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  7. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  8. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  9. The ________________ took off on time.
  10. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  11. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  12. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  13. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  14. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  15. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  16. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  17. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  18. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  19. I'll be taking the ________________.
  20. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  21. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  22. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  23. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  24. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — of a river
  2. plane — in geometry
  3. ball — a dance
  4. tube — in a tire
  5. bank — for money
  6. mouse — for a computer
  7. degree — from a university
  8. degree — an amount
  9. plane — an aircraft
  10. degree — temperature
  11. tube — a container
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. plane — a tool
  14. bowl — a dish
  15. ball — a round shape
  16. bowl — to roll
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. tube — the underground
  20. lie — to recline
  21. ball — a great time
  22. bowl — a football final
  23. bank — for money
  24. mouse — the animal

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