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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: mug · face · prune · firm · bat · bass · bank · bowl

  1. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  2. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  3. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  4. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  5. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  6. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  7. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  8. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  9. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  10. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  11. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  12. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  13. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  14. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  15. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  16. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  17. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  18. Where did you ________________ them?
  19. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  20. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  21. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  22. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  23. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  24. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — a face
  2. firm — a company
  3. mug — a cup
  4. face — part of the head
  5. bat — the animal
  6. prune — to trim
  7. face — to confront
  8. bank — for money
  9. bat — for baseball
  10. prune — the fruit
  11. bat — in an idiom
  12. bass — the instrument
  13. bank — of a river
  14. prune — to trim
  15. face — to point toward
  16. bowl — a dish
  17. firm — decided
  18. mug — to rob
  19. firm — steady
  20. bowl — a football final
  21. bank — for money
  22. bowl — to roll
  23. bass — low music
  24. bass — the fish

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