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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.

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: bank · fine · ball · game · ruler · mark · kid · spring

  1. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  2. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  3. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  4. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  5. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  6. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  7. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  8. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  9. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  10. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  11. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  12. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  13. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  14. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  15. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  16. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  17. That was a fun ________________.
  18. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  19. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  20. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  21. The King held a masked ________________.
  22. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  23. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  24. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — of a river
  2. ball — a round shape
  3. mark — a trace
  4. fine — a penalty
  5. ruler — a monarch
  6. mark — a grade
  7. bank — for money
  8. spring — a coil
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. spring — of water
  11. fine — all right
  12. ball — a great time
  13. spring — the season
  14. kid — child
  15. mark — to pay attention
  16. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  17. game — a match
  18. fine — high quality
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. bank — for money
  21. ball — a dance
  22. kid — to tease
  23. game — a kind of play
  24. game — wild animals

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