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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. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  2. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  3. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  4. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  5. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  6. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  7. He works in a ________________ mill.
  8. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  9. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  10. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  11. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  12. He is an ace ________________.
  13. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  14. She's very handy with a ________________.
  15. Don't do anything ________________.
  16. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  17. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  18. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  19. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  20. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  21. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  22. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  23. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  24. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.

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

Answer key

  1. object — a thing
  2. rock — music
  3. bank — of a river
  4. bank — for money
  5. bowl — to roll
  6. pitcher — a jug
  7. saw — the tool
  8. racket — for tennis
  9. rash — on the skin
  10. bowl — a dish
  11. object — to protest
  12. pitcher — in baseball
  13. rock — a stone
  14. saw — the tool
  15. rash — hasty
  16. rash — a series
  17. pitcher — a jug
  18. bowl — a football final
  19. bank — for money
  20. racket — a loud noise
  21. object — an aim
  22. rock — to move gently
  23. racket — for tennis
  24. saw — past of 'see'

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