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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. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  2. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  3. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  4. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  5. The ________________ took off on time.
  6. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  7. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  8. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  9. You don't need to ________________ round.
  10. That must've been a ________________.
  11. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  12. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  13. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  14. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  15. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  16. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  17. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  18. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  19. We're almost out of ________________.
  20. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  21. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  22. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  23. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  24. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. pop — music
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. racket — for tennis
  5. plane — an aircraft
  6. craft — a skill
  7. bank — of a river
  8. march — the month
  9. pop — to visit
  10. rush — a thrill
  11. march — music
  12. racket — a loud noise
  13. bank — for money
  14. craft — a handicraft
  15. rush — hurry
  16. rush — to hurry
  17. mouse — for a computer
  18. bank — for money
  19. pop — soda
  20. march — the month
  21. racket — for tennis
  22. craft — boats
  23. plane — a tool
  24. plane — in geometry

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