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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. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  2. She's very handy with a ________________.
  3. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  4. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  5. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  6. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  7. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  8. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  9. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  10. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  11. What do you think of the new ________________?
  12. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  13. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  14. He works in a ________________ mill.
  15. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  16. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  17. Have you found your soul ________________?
  18. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  19. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  20. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  21. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  22. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  23. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  24. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wound — past of 'wind'
  2. saw — the tool
  3. cabinet — ministers
  4. club — for dancing
  5. row — a line
  6. row — to paddle
  7. mate — to breed
  8. club — for golf
  9. bank — for money
  10. club — a group
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. mate — a friend
  13. cabinet — a cupboard
  14. saw — the tool
  15. fine — high quality
  16. wound — an injury
  17. mate — a partner
  18. bank — for money
  19. row — a quarrel
  20. wound — an injury
  21. saw — past of 'see'
  22. fine — a penalty
  23. fine — all right
  24. bank — of a river

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