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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. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  2. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  3. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  4. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  5. The King held a masked ________________.
  6. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  7. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  8. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  9. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  10. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  11. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  12. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  13. She's very handy with a ________________.
  14. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  15. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  16. False peace will not ________________.
  17. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  18. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  19. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  20. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  21. He works in a ________________ mill.
  22. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  23. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  24. Boris sat near the fire ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — in a race
  2. board — to get on
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. bank — of a river
  5. ball — a dance
  6. last — finally
  7. bank — for money
  8. ball — a great time
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. last — final
  11. mouse — for a computer
  12. capital — a big letter
  13. saw — the tool
  14. board — a committee
  15. ball — a round shape
  16. last — to go on
  17. capital — a city
  18. pit — a fruit stone
  19. board — a flat piece
  20. saw — past of 'see'
  21. saw — the tool
  22. bank — for money
  23. capital — money
  24. pit — a hole

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