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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.

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Word bank
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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. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  2. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  3. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  4. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  5. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  6. My father caught me by the ________________.
  7. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  8. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  9. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  10. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  11. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  12. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  13. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  14. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  15. The ________________ went through the wall.
  16. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  17. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  18. He is an ace ________________.
  19. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  20. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  21. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  22. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  23. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  24. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — a jug
  2. arm — part of the body
  3. mine — an explosive
  4. nail — on a finger
  5. bank — of a river
  6. arm — part of the body
  7. object — a thing
  8. can — a tin
  9. lean — to bend
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. object — an aim
  12. lean — thin
  13. can — to be able to
  14. arm — a part of something
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. object — to protest
  17. can — a tin
  18. pitcher — in baseball
  19. mine — belonging to me
  20. lean — to rest against
  21. mine — for digging
  22. pitcher — a jug
  23. bank — for money
  24. bank — for money

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