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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 116 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. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  3. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  4. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  5. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  6. We're almost out of ________________.
  7. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  8. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  9. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  10. My mare is ________________ in color.
  11. Have you found your soul ________________?
  12. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  13. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  14. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  15. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  16. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  17. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  18. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  19. You don't need to ________________ round.
  20. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  21. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  22. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  23. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  24. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. rock — music
  3. bay — to keep at bay
  4. mate — to breed
  5. bank — for money
  6. pop — soda
  7. wound — an injury
  8. wound — an injury
  9. pop — music
  10. bay — a horse colour
  11. mate — a partner
  12. rock — to move gently
  13. craft — a handicraft
  14. craft — a skill
  15. mate — a friend
  16. wound — past of 'wind'
  17. racket — a loud noise
  18. craft — boats
  19. pop — to visit
  20. bay — a part of the sea
  21. racket — for tennis
  22. bank — of a river
  23. rock — a stone
  24. racket — for tennis

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