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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 don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  2. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  3. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  4. The ________________ went through the wall.
  5. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  6. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  7. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  8. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  9. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  10. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  11. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  12. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  13. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  14. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  15. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  16. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  17. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  18. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  19. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  20. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  21. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  22. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  23. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  24. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. bank — for money
  3. rock — to move gently
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. field — farmland
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. face — to confront
  8. cap — a lid
  9. bowl — a football final
  10. bowl — a dish
  11. face — part of the head
  12. nail — on a finger
  13. cap — a hat
  14. cap — of ice
  15. mouse — for a computer
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. rock — a stone
  18. bowl — to roll
  19. bank — of a river
  20. face — to point toward
  21. field — for sport
  22. bank — for money
  23. field — a subject
  24. rock — music

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