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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 116 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. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  2. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  3. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  4. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  5. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  6. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  7. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  8. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  9. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  10. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  11. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  12. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  13. When will it ________________ you to start?
  14. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  15. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  16. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  17. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  18. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  19. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  20. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  21. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  22. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  23. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  24. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.

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

Answer key

  1. object — to protest
  2. rock — music
  3. rock — a stone
  4. branch — of a tree
  5. branch — of a bank
  6. suit — in cards
  7. lean — to rest against
  8. object — an aim
  9. suit — clothes
  10. bank — for money
  11. lean — to bend
  12. march — the month
  13. suit — to fit
  14. branch — a division
  15. shower — a meteor shower
  16. march — music
  17. object — a thing
  18. lean — thin
  19. shower — rain
  20. march — the month
  21. shower — to wash
  22. bank — of a river
  23. rock — to move gently
  24. bank — for money

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