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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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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  2. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  3. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  4. When will it ________________ you to start?
  5. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  6. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  7. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  8. Have you met the new head ________________?
  9. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  10. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  11. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  12. The ball is in your ________________.
  13. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  14. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  15. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  16. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  17. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  18. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  19. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  20. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  21. The King held a masked ________________.
  22. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  23. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  24. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. object — to protest
  3. ball — a round shape
  4. suit — to fit
  5. bank — for money
  6. object — an aim
  7. mark — a trace
  8. coach — a trainer
  9. object — a thing
  10. court — of law
  11. suit — in cards
  12. court — for sport
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. court — of a king
  15. mark — to pay attention
  16. lash — a whip stroke
  17. ball — a great time
  18. suit — clothes
  19. lash — to lash out
  20. lash — an eyelash
  21. ball — a dance
  22. mark — a grade
  23. coach — pulled by horses
  24. bank — of a river

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