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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. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  2. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  3. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  4. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  5. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  6. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  7. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  8. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  9. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  10. I've got to change the light ________________.
  11. Have you found your soul ________________?
  12. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  13. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  14. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  15. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  16. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  17. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  18. The light ________________ burned out.
  19. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  20. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  21. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  22. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  23. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  24. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. mine — an explosive
  3. mate — to breed
  4. object — to protest
  5. hand — part of the body
  6. hand — in cards
  7. mine — belonging to me
  8. hand — help
  9. bank — of a river
  10. bulb — for light
  11. mate — a partner
  12. squash — the vegetable
  13. object — an aim
  14. mine — for digging
  15. mate — a friend
  16. pit — a hole
  17. pit — a fruit stone
  18. bulb — for light
  19. squash — the sport
  20. object — a thing
  21. bank — for money
  22. bulb — of a plant
  23. pit — in a race
  24. squash — to crush

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