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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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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: ball · mine · stick · dip · charge · bank · scale · nail

  1. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  2. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  3. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  4. The King held a masked ________________.
  5. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  6. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  7. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  8. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  9. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  10. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  11. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  12. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  13. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  14. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  15. The ________________ went through the wall.
  16. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  17. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  18. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  19. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  20. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  21. The tickets are free of ________________.
  22. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  23. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  24. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — a sauce
  2. stick — to attach or keep to
  3. scale — in music
  4. ball — a dance
  5. mine — for digging
  6. scale — size or range
  7. bank — for money
  8. dip — to dunk
  9. mine — belonging to me
  10. mine — an explosive
  11. charge — electricity
  12. ball — a round shape
  13. ball — a great time
  14. bank — of a river
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. charge — in control
  19. nail — on a finger
  20. scale — for weighing
  21. charge — a price
  22. stick — a piece of wood
  23. bank — for money
  24. dip — to sink

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