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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 124 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. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  3. The ball is in your ________________.
  4. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  5. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  6. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  7. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  8. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  9. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  10. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  11. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  12. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  13. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  14. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  15. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  16. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  17. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  18. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  19. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  20. Where did you ________________ them?
  21. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  22. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  23. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  24. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — of a river
  2. present — the time now
  3. court — for sport
  4. hand — help
  5. toast — a drink to someone
  6. chip — in a computer
  7. club — a group
  8. bank — for money
  9. bank — for money
  10. hand — in cards
  11. court — of law
  12. chip — for betting
  13. chip — to eat
  14. present — there
  15. present — a gift
  16. toast — bread
  17. hand — part of the body
  18. mug — a cup
  19. club — for golf
  20. mug — to rob
  21. club — for dancing
  22. toast — the most admired
  23. court — of a king
  24. mug — a face

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