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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. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  2. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  3. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  4. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  5. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  6. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  7. The King held a masked ________________.
  8. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  9. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  10. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  11. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  12. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  13. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  14. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  15. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  16. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  17. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  18. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  19. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  20. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  21. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  22. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  23. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  24. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. bank — for money
  3. club — a group
  4. bank — of a river
  5. club — for golf
  6. rest — a break
  7. ball — a dance
  8. scale — size or range
  9. club — for dancing
  10. scale — for weighing
  11. prune — to trim
  12. jam — in traffic
  13. jam — a tight spot
  14. rest — what's left
  15. prune — the fruit
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. ball — a great time
  18. jam — to spread on bread
  19. rest — what's left
  20. lie — to recline
  21. ball — a round shape
  22. lie — an untruth
  23. scale — in music
  24. prune — to trim

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