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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: mark · dip · hide · bank · rash · kick · scale · ball

  1. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  2. The King held a masked ________________.
  3. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  4. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  5. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  6. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  7. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  8. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  9. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  10. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  11. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  12. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  13. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  14. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  15. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  16. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  17. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  18. Don't do anything ________________.
  19. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  20. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  21. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  22. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  23. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  24. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. ball — a dance
  3. kick — with a leg
  4. dip — to dunk
  5. scale — size or range
  6. scale — for weighing
  7. dip — a sauce
  8. ball — a round shape
  9. bank — of a river
  10. kick — a thrill
  11. hide — to keep secret
  12. mark — to pay attention
  13. hide — to keep secret
  14. bank — for money
  15. dip — to sink
  16. scale — in music
  17. hide — animal skin
  18. rash — hasty
  19. rash — a series
  20. rash — on the skin
  21. kick — in football
  22. mark — a grade
  23. mark — a trace
  24. ball — a great time

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