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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: roll · ball · bank · firm · fine · ground · racket · cabinet

  1. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  2. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  3. What do you think of the new ________________?
  4. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  5. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  6. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  7. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  8. The King held a masked ________________.
  9. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  10. There's no middle ________________.
  11. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  12. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  13. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  14. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  15. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  16. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  17. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  18. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  19. We're on a ________________ here.
  20. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  21. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  22. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  23. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  24. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — high quality
  2. bank — for money
  3. cabinet — ministers
  4. ball — a great time
  5. bank — for money
  6. firm — steady
  7. racket — for tennis
  8. ball — a dance
  9. racket — a loud noise
  10. ground — a position
  11. fine — a penalty
  12. firm — a company
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. ground — the earth
  15. ground — crushed
  16. bank — of a river
  17. fine — all right
  18. racket — for tennis
  19. roll — on a roll
  20. cabinet — a cupboard
  21. firm — decided
  22. roll — a list
  23. ball — a round shape
  24. roll — a cake

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