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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. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  3. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  4. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  5. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  6. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  7. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  8. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  9. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  10. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  11. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  12. The ________________ went through the wall.
  13. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  14. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  15. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  16. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  17. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  18. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  19. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  20. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  21. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  22. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  23. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  24. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — of a river
  2. squash — the vegetable
  3. racket — a loud noise
  4. fork — in a road
  5. racket — for tennis
  6. chip — for betting
  7. chip — to eat
  8. scale — for weighing
  9. bank — for money
  10. scale — in music
  11. club — a group
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. bank — for money
  14. fork — to eat with
  15. squash — the sport
  16. squash — to crush
  17. scale — size or range
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. chip — in a computer
  20. club — for golf
  21. racket — for tennis
  22. nail — on a finger
  23. club — for dancing
  24. fork — a garden tool

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