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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. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  2. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  3. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  4. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  5. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  6. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  7. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  8. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  9. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  10. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  11. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  12. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  13. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  14. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  15. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  16. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  17. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  18. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  19. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  20. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  21. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  22. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  23. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  24. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?

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

Answer key

  1. track — a path
  2. wound — past of 'wind'
  3. stick — a piece of wood
  4. stick — to attach or keep to
  5. mouse — for a computer
  6. wound — an injury
  7. prune — to trim
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. bank — for money
  10. bank — of a river
  11. wound — an injury
  12. track — to keep track
  13. prune — to trim
  14. track — a song
  15. shower — to wash
  16. shower — a meteor shower
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. object — an aim
  19. shower — rain
  20. bank — for money
  21. prune — the fruit
  22. stick — a piece of wood
  23. object — a thing
  24. object — to protest

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