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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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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. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  2. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  3. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  4. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  5. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  6. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  7. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  8. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  9. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  10. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  11. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  12. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  13. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  14. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  15. Have you found your soul ________________?
  16. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  17. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  18. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  19. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  20. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  21. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  22. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  23. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  24. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?

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

Answer key

  1. hand — help
  2. object — to protest
  3. object — a thing
  4. content — happy
  5. rock — a stone
  6. mate — to breed
  7. bank — for money
  8. foot — a measure
  9. object — an aim
  10. hide — to keep secret
  11. foot — the bottom
  12. content — videos and posts
  13. rock — music
  14. bank — of a river
  15. mate — a partner
  16. hide — to keep secret
  17. hand — part of the body
  18. rock — to move gently
  19. content — the amount
  20. foot — part of the body
  21. bank — for money
  22. hide — animal skin
  23. hand — in cards
  24. mate — a friend

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