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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. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  3. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  4. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  5. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  6. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  7. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  8. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  9. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  10. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  11. How do you ________________ your surname?
  12. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  13. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  14. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  15. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  16. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  17. He works in a ________________ mill.
  18. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  19. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  20. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  21. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  22. She's very handy with a ________________.
  23. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  24. We have nothing to ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — a penalty
  2. bank — for money
  3. hide — to keep secret
  4. bank — of a river
  5. net — in sport
  6. bank — for money
  7. bass — low music
  8. saw — past of 'see'
  9. vault — an arched ceiling
  10. fine — all right
  11. spell — letters
  12. net — for catching
  13. hide — animal skin
  14. bass — the fish
  15. spell — magic
  16. vault — a safe
  17. saw — the tool
  18. vault — in gymnastics
  19. net — after costs
  20. spell — a short time
  21. bass — the instrument
  22. saw — the tool
  23. fine — high quality
  24. hide — to keep secret

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