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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. The ball is in your ________________.
  2. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  3. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  4. The ________________ took off on time.
  5. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  6. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  7. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  8. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  9. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  10. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  11. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  12. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  13. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  14. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  15. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  16. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  17. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  18. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  19. The ________________ went through the wall.
  20. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  21. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  22. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  23. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  24. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.

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

Answer key

  1. court — for sport
  2. mark — a trace
  3. bank — for money
  4. plane — an aircraft
  5. bank — for money
  6. mark — a grade
  7. staff — a stick
  8. nail — on a finger
  9. staff — employees
  10. mark — to pay attention
  11. bear — to put up with
  12. court — of law
  13. fork — in a road
  14. bear — the animal
  15. fork — to eat with
  16. court — of a king
  17. bear — the animal
  18. staff — employees
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. plane — in geometry
  21. fork — a garden tool
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. bank — of a river
  24. plane — a tool

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