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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. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  2. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  3. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  4. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  5. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  6. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  7. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  8. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  9. The ball is in your ________________.
  10. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  11. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  12. The King held a masked ________________.
  13. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  14. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  15. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  16. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  17. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  18. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  19. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  20. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  21. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  22. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  23. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  24. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — of a river
  2. present — there
  3. court — of law
  4. kick — a thrill
  5. kick — in football
  6. object — a thing
  7. object — an aim
  8. bank — for money
  9. court — for sport
  10. ball — a round shape
  11. scale — for weighing
  12. ball — a dance
  13. object — to protest
  14. scale — size or range
  15. present — the time now
  16. deal — an agreement
  17. court — of a king
  18. deal — a big deal
  19. deal — to handle
  20. scale — in music
  21. present — a gift
  22. bank — for money
  23. kick — with a leg
  24. ball — a great time

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