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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: dip · sharp · fall · deal · bank · jam · ball · mine

  1. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  2. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  3. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  4. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  5. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  6. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  7. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  8. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  9. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  10. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  11. The King held a masked ________________.
  12. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  13. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  14. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  15. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  16. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  17. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  18. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  19. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  20. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  21. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  22. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  23. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  24. It's one o'clock ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — of a river
  2. deal — an agreement
  3. fall — the season
  4. dip — to dunk
  5. deal — a big deal
  6. bank — for money
  7. sharp — clever
  8. mine — for digging
  9. dip — to sink
  10. mine — an explosive
  11. ball — a dance
  12. jam — a tight spot
  13. fall — to drop
  14. ball — a round shape
  15. deal — to handle
  16. ball — a great time
  17. fall — to drop
  18. sharp — with an edge
  19. jam — in traffic
  20. jam — to spread on bread
  21. bank — for money
  22. dip — a sauce
  23. mine — belonging to me
  24. sharp — exactly

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