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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: net · dip · ball · bank · wind · face · mate · squash

  1. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  2. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  3. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  4. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  5. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  6. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  7. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  8. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  9. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  10. The King held a masked ________________.
  11. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  12. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  13. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  14. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  15. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  16. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  17. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  18. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  19. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  20. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  21. Have you found your soul ________________?
  22. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  23. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  24. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?

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

Answer key

  1. squash — to crush
  2. ball — a round shape
  3. ball — a great time
  4. net — for catching
  5. wind — to turn a key
  6. wind — moving air
  7. bank — for money
  8. wind — moving air
  9. dip — a sauce
  10. ball — a dance
  11. dip — to dunk
  12. net — in sport
  13. face — to point toward
  14. bank — for money
  15. face — part of the head
  16. mate — to breed
  17. dip — to sink
  18. squash — the vegetable
  19. face — to confront
  20. bank — of a river
  21. mate — a partner
  22. net — after costs
  23. squash — the sport
  24. mate — a friend

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