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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 thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  2. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  3. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  4. My father caught me by the ________________.
  5. What do you think of the new ________________?
  6. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  7. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  8. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  9. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  10. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  11. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  12. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  13. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  14. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  15. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  16. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  17. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  18. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  19. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  20. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  21. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  22. When will it ________________ you to start?
  23. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  24. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. bank — for money
  3. field — for sport
  4. arm — part of the body
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. rule — government
  7. arm — a part of something
  8. rule — to rule out
  9. rule — a law
  10. arm — part of the body
  11. cabinet — a cupboard
  12. bank — for money
  13. bank — of a river
  14. mouse — for a computer
  15. suit — in cards
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. scale — size or range
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. suit — clothes
  20. scale — for weighing
  21. field — farmland
  22. suit — to fit
  23. scale — in music
  24. field — a subject

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