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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. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  2. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  3. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  4. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  5. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  6. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  7. When will it ________________ you to start?
  8. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  9. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  10. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  11. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  12. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  13. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  14. The King held a masked ________________.
  15. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  16. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  17. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  18. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  19. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  20. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  21. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  22. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  23. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  24. Hold the papers together with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — in cards
  2. bank — for money
  3. suit — clothes
  4. clip — to cut
  5. tear — from crying
  6. bank — of a river
  7. suit — to fit
  8. vault — a safe
  9. object — a thing
  10. object — to protest
  11. bass — the instrument
  12. vault — an arched ceiling
  13. vault — in gymnastics
  14. ball — a dance
  15. clip — a video
  16. bank — for money
  17. tear — from crying
  18. object — an aim
  19. bass — the fish
  20. ball — a great time
  21. bass — low music
  22. ball — a round shape
  23. tear — to rip
  24. clip — for paper

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