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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. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  3. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  4. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  5. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  6. When will it ________________ you to start?
  7. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  8. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  9. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  10. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  11. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  12. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  13. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  14. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  15. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  16. That was a fun ________________.
  17. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  18. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  19. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  20. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  21. The ________________ went through the wall.
  22. My father caught me by the ________________.
  23. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  24. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — of a river
  2. scale — for weighing
  3. jam — to spread on bread
  4. jam — a tight spot
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. suit — to fit
  7. scale — size or range
  8. suit — in cards
  9. game — wild animals
  10. rest — a break
  11. rest — what's left
  12. bank — for money
  13. arm — a part of something
  14. bank — for money
  15. suit — clothes
  16. game — a match
  17. rest — what's left
  18. jam — in traffic
  19. game — a kind of play
  20. arm — part of the body
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. arm — part of the body
  23. scale — in music
  24. nail — on a finger

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