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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.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: mouse · net · wind · pop · key · mine · ball · bank

  1. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  2. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  3. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  4. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  5. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  6. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  7. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  8. This piece is in a major ________________.
  9. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  10. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  11. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  12. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  13. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  14. We're almost out of ________________.
  15. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  16. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  17. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  18. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  19. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  20. The King held a masked ________________.
  21. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  22. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  23. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  24. You don't need to ________________ round.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. mine — for digging
  3. ball — a great time
  4. mine — belonging to me
  5. net — in sport
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. net — after costs
  8. key — in music
  9. wind — to turn a key
  10. mine — an explosive
  11. wind — moving air
  12. net — for catching
  13. key — for a lock
  14. pop — soda
  15. pop — music
  16. key — the most important part
  17. wind — moving air
  18. ball — a round shape
  19. bank — of a river
  20. ball — a dance
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. bank — for money
  23. mouse — for a computer
  24. pop — to visit

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