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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. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  2. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  3. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  4. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  5. He is an ace ________________.
  6. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  7. When are we going to ________________?
  8. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  9. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  10. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  11. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  12. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  13. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  14. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  15. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  16. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  17. My mare is ________________ in color.
  18. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  19. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  20. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  21. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  22. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  23. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  24. Fill up this ________________ with water.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — a penalty
  2. bank — of a river
  3. fine — high quality
  4. clip — a video
  5. pitcher — in baseball
  6. bank — for money
  7. land — to come down
  8. pitcher — a jug
  9. clip — to cut
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. land — ground
  12. fine — all right
  13. bay — a part of the sea
  14. clip — for paper
  15. bay — to keep at bay
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. bay — a horse colour
  18. stick — to attach or keep to
  19. bowl — a dish
  20. bowl — a football final
  21. land — a country
  22. bank — for money
  23. bowl — to roll
  24. pitcher — a jug

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