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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 120 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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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: game · wind · deal · land · bank · foot · can · squash

  1. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  2. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  3. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  4. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  5. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  6. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  7. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  8. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  9. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  10. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  11. That was a fun ________________.
  12. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  13. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  14. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  15. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  16. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  17. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  18. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  19. When are we going to ________________?
  20. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  21. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  22. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  23. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  24. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — part of the body
  2. deal — an agreement
  3. bank — for money
  4. squash — the vegetable
  5. deal — a big deal
  6. can — to be able to
  7. foot — the bottom
  8. deal — to handle
  9. squash — the sport
  10. bank — for money
  11. game — a match
  12. wind — to turn a key
  13. squash — to crush
  14. foot — a measure
  15. wind — moving air
  16. can — a tin
  17. can — a tin
  18. land — ground
  19. land — to come down
  20. game — wild animals
  21. game — a kind of play
  22. land — a country
  23. bank — of a river
  24. wind — moving air

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