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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 120 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. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  2. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  3. The ball is in your ________________.
  4. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  5. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  6. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  7. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  8. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  9. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  10. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  11. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  12. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  13. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  14. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  15. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  16. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  17. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  18. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  19. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  20. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  21. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  22. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  23. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  24. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — in music
  2. court — of law
  3. court — for sport
  4. deal — to handle
  5. snap — to snap out of it
  6. mark — a grade
  7. bank — for money
  8. bear — to put up with
  9. bank — of a river
  10. bear — the animal
  11. scale — size or range
  12. bank — for money
  13. mark — a trace
  14. snap — to speak sharply
  15. deal — an agreement
  16. chip — in a computer
  17. bear — the animal
  18. chip — to eat
  19. snap — to click
  20. court — of a king
  21. mark — to pay attention
  22. chip — for betting
  23. scale — for weighing
  24. deal — a big deal

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