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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. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  2. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  3. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  4. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  5. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  6. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  7. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  8. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  9. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  10. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  11. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  12. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  13. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  14. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  15. The King held a masked ________________.
  16. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  17. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  18. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  19. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  20. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  21. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  22. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  23. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  24. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — for a computer
  2. fine — all right
  3. fine — a penalty
  4. drill — the tool
  5. craft — boats
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. ball — a great time
  8. fine — high quality
  9. bank — of a river
  10. mouse — the animal
  11. drill — army training
  12. bank — for money
  13. bank — for money
  14. craft — a skill
  15. ball — a dance
  16. field — a subject
  17. ruler — a monarch
  18. craft — a handicraft
  19. field — farmland
  20. ball — a round shape
  21. drill — a practice
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. field — for sport
  24. mouse — the animal

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