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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'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  2. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  3. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  4. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  5. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  6. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  7. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  8. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  9. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  10. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  11. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  12. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  13. Have you met the new head ________________?
  14. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  15. The tickets are free of ________________.
  16. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  17. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  18. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  19. How do you ________________ your surname?
  20. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  21. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  22. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  23. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  24. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. track — a path
  3. spell — magic
  4. drill — a practice
  5. bank — for money
  6. scale — in music
  7. drill — the tool
  8. scale — size or range
  9. charge — electricity
  10. charge — in control
  11. bank — of a river
  12. coach — a trainer
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. charge — a price
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. track — to keep track
  18. fan — to cool the air
  19. spell — letters
  20. spell — a short time
  21. track — a song
  22. coach — pulled by horses
  23. scale — for weighing
  24. drill — army training

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