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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. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  3. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  4. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  5. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  6. He is an ace ________________.
  7. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  8. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  9. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  10. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  11. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  12. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  13. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  14. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  15. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  16. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  17. David sat on the ________________.
  18. Have you met the new head ________________?
  19. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  20. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  21. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  22. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  23. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  24. ________________ games are popular in Germany.

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

Answer key

  1. object — an aim
  2. bank — for money
  3. object — to protest
  4. present — the time now
  5. scale — in music
  6. pitcher — in baseball
  7. scale — size or range
  8. board — a committee
  9. bank — of a river
  10. scale — for weighing
  11. present — there
  12. pitcher — a jug
  13. coach — pulled by horses
  14. pitcher — a jug
  15. board — to get on
  16. object — a thing
  17. swing — to play on
  18. coach — a trainer
  19. coach — a trainer
  20. bank — for money
  21. swing — music
  22. present — a gift
  23. swing — in golf
  24. board — a flat piece

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