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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. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  2. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  3. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  4. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  5. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  6. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  7. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  8. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  9. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  10. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  11. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  12. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  13. We're almost out of ________________.
  14. He was locked up in a ________________.
  15. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  16. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  17. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  18. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  19. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  20. You don't need to ________________ round.
  21. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  22. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  23. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  24. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.

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

Answer key

  1. object — an aim
  2. object — to protest
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. mine — an explosive
  5. cell — in biology
  6. pop — music
  7. dip — to dunk
  8. mine — for digging
  9. bank — for money
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. bank — of a river
  12. cell — a phone
  13. pop — soda
  14. cell — in a prison
  15. lean — thin
  16. dip — to sink
  17. dip — a sauce
  18. mine — belonging to me
  19. bank — for money
  20. pop — to visit
  21. object — a thing
  22. ruler — a monarch
  23. lean — to rest against
  24. lean — to bend

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