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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. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  2. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  3. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  4. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  5. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  6. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  7. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  8. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  9. The tickets are free of ________________.
  10. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  11. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  12. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  13. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  14. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  15. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  16. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  17. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  18. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  19. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  20. Where did you ________________ them?
  21. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  22. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  23. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  24. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — of a river
  2. bass — low music
  3. drill — the tool
  4. bass — the instrument
  5. drill — army training
  6. rock — to move gently
  7. charge — electricity
  8. mug — a face
  9. charge — a price
  10. mark — a trace
  11. bank — for money
  12. rock — a stone
  13. mug — a cup
  14. rock — music
  15. bass — the fish
  16. drill — a practice
  17. charge — in control
  18. bank — for money
  19. file — a line of people
  20. mug — to rob
  21. file — a tool
  22. mark — a grade
  23. mark — to pay attention
  24. file — a document

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