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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. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  2. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  3. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  4. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  5. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  6. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  7. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  8. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  9. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  10. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  11. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  12. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  13. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  14. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  15. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  16. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  17. He is an ace ________________.
  18. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  19. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  20. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  21. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  22. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  23. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  24. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — of a river
  2. pitcher — a jug
  3. deal — to handle
  4. bank — for money
  5. cap — a hat
  6. club — for dancing
  7. scale — in music
  8. scale — size or range
  9. bank — for money
  10. club — a group
  11. bat — in an idiom
  12. deal — a big deal
  13. rule — to rule out
  14. bat — for baseball
  15. bat — the animal
  16. deal — an agreement
  17. pitcher — in baseball
  18. rule — government
  19. scale — for weighing
  20. club — for golf
  21. cap — a lid
  22. pitcher — a jug
  23. cap — of ice
  24. rule — a law

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