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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. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  2. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  3. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  4. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  5. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  6. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  7. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  8. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  9. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  10. We're almost out of ________________.
  11. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  12. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  13. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  14. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  15. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  16. The King held a masked ________________.
  17. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  18. You don't need to ________________ round.
  19. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  20. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  21. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  22. The ________________ went through the wall.
  23. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  24. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. nail — on a finger
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. mine — an explosive
  5. mine — belonging to me
  6. can — a tin
  7. fine — all right
  8. ball — a round shape
  9. mine — for digging
  10. pop — soda
  11. ball — a great time
  12. fine — a penalty
  13. can — a tin
  14. bank — for money
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. ball — a dance
  17. can — to be able to
  18. pop — to visit
  19. pop — music
  20. bank — of a river
  21. fine — high quality
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. mouse — for a computer
  24. bank — for money

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