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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. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  2. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  3. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  4. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  5. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  6. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  7. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  8. The King held a masked ________________.
  9. The ________________ took off on time.
  10. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  11. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  12. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  13. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  14. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  15. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  16. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  17. When was this ________________ built?
  18. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  19. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  20. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  21. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  22. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  23. I can't ________________ this cold.
  24. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a great time
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. bank — of a river
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. branch — of a tree
  6. bat — in an idiom
  7. stand — for spectators
  8. ball — a dance
  9. plane — an aircraft
  10. branch — a division
  11. plane — a tool
  12. temple — side of the head
  13. bank — for money
  14. plane — in geometry
  15. bank — for money
  16. bat — for baseball
  17. temple — a place of worship
  18. mouse — for a computer
  19. stand — on your feet
  20. temple — a place of worship
  21. branch — of a bank
  22. ball — a round shape
  23. stand — to bear
  24. bat — the animal

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