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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 120 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: mug · bank · ball · pop · perch · scale · wound · can

  1. We're almost out of ________________.
  2. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  3. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  4. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  5. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  6. The King held a masked ________________.
  7. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  8. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  9. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  10. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  11. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  12. Where did you ________________ them?
  13. You don't need to ________________ round.
  14. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  15. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  16. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  17. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  18. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  19. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  20. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  21. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  22. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  23. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  24. ________________ you help me carry this box?

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

Answer key

  1. pop — soda
  2. wound — an injury
  3. ball — a round shape
  4. mug — a face
  5. ball — a great time
  6. ball — a dance
  7. can — a tin
  8. bank — for money
  9. scale — size or range
  10. wound — an injury
  11. wound — past of 'wind'
  12. mug — to rob
  13. pop — to visit
  14. can — a tin
  15. perch — for a bird
  16. pop — music
  17. perch — the fish
  18. scale — for weighing
  19. bank — for money
  20. perch — for a bird
  21. scale — in music
  22. mug — a cup
  23. bank — of a river
  24. can — to be able to

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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