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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. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  2. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  3. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  4. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  5. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  6. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  7. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  8. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  9. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  10. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  11. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  12. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  13. The water is too ________________.
  14. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  15. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  16. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  17. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  18. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  19. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  20. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  21. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  22. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  23. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  24. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.

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

Answer key

  1. object — an aim
  2. spring — a coil
  3. rest — what's left
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. pitch — a sales talk
  6. rest — what's left
  7. cold — the Cold War
  8. can — a tin
  9. pitch — a sports field
  10. can — to be able to
  11. spring — of water
  12. bank — for money
  13. cold — not warm
  14. bank — of a river
  15. object — to protest
  16. spring — the season
  17. bank — for money
  18. pitch — completely
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. rest — a break
  21. safe — a strongbox
  22. object — a thing
  23. can — a tin
  24. cold — an illness

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