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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. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  2. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  3. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  4. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  5. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  6. My mare is ________________ in color.
  7. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  8. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  9. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  10. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  11. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  12. The tickets are free of ________________.
  13. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  14. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  15. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  16. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  17. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  18. How do you ________________ your surname?
  19. The ball is in your ________________.
  20. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  21. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  22. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  23. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  24. Where can I ________________ my mobile?

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

Answer key

  1. safe — a strongbox
  2. bay — a part of the sea
  3. bank — for money
  4. bank — for money
  5. object — a thing
  6. bay — a horse colour
  7. object — an aim
  8. spell — a short time
  9. bay — to keep at bay
  10. mark — to pay attention
  11. charge — in control
  12. charge — a price
  13. court — of law
  14. bank — of a river
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. object — to protest
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. spell — letters
  19. court — for sport
  20. mark — a grade
  21. court — of a king
  22. spell — magic
  23. mark — a trace
  24. charge — electricity

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