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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. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  2. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  3. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  4. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  5. I've got to change the light ________________.
  6. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  7. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  8. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  9. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  10. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  11. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  12. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  13. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  14. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  15. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  16. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  17. The light ________________ burned out.
  18. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  19. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  20. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  21. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  22. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  23. Where did you ________________ them?
  24. The King held a masked ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. net — for catching
  3. ball — a great time
  4. net — in sport
  5. bulb — for light
  6. bat — for baseball
  7. bat — in an idiom
  8. object — an aim
  9. ball — a round shape
  10. bat — the animal
  11. object — a thing
  12. present — there
  13. object — to protest
  14. net — after costs
  15. present — a gift
  16. bank — of a river
  17. bulb — for light
  18. mug — a cup
  19. present — the time now
  20. bank — for money
  21. mug — a face
  22. bulb — of a plant
  23. mug — to rob
  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