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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. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  2. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  3. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  4. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  5. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  6. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  7. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  8. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  9. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  10. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  11. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  12. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  13. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  14. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  15. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  16. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  17. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  18. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  19. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  20. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  21. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  22. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  23. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  24. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.

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

Answer key

  1. object — an aim
  2. scale — in music
  3. toast — bread
  4. toast — a drink to someone
  5. bank — of a river
  6. prune — the fruit
  7. pound — for dogs
  8. object — a thing
  9. toast — the most admired
  10. scale — for weighing
  11. bank — for money
  12. leaves — lets stay
  13. chip — in a computer
  14. chip — to eat
  15. pound — a weight
  16. prune — to trim
  17. leaves — of a tree
  18. object — to protest
  19. chip — for betting
  20. scale — size or range
  21. bank — for money
  22. prune — to trim
  23. leaves — to go away
  24. pound — to hit hard

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