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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. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  2. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  3. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  4. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  5. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  6. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  7. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  8. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  9. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  10. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  11. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  12. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  13. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  14. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  15. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  16. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  17. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  18. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  19. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  20. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  21. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  22. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  23. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  24. There's no middle ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ground — the earth
  2. wind — to turn a key
  3. bank — of a river
  4. wind — moving air
  5. ground — crushed
  6. wind — moving air
  7. band — a ring
  8. cue — a hint
  9. bank — for money
  10. mouse — the animal
  11. hand — in cards
  12. dip — to sink
  13. hand — part of the body
  14. hand — help
  15. mouse — for a computer
  16. bank — for money
  17. band — a music group
  18. dip — to dunk
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. band — a rubber band
  21. cue — for pool
  22. dip — a sauce
  23. cue — a signal
  24. ground — a position

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