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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. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  2. When will it ________________ you to start?
  3. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  4. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  5. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  6. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  7. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  8. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  9. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  10. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  11. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  12. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  13. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  14. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  15. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  16. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  17. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  18. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  19. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  20. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  21. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  22. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  23. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  24. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.

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

Answer key

  1. track — a path
  2. suit — to fit
  3. object — a thing
  4. fine — a penalty
  5. club — a group
  6. fine — high quality
  7. bank — of a river
  8. track — a song
  9. pitch — a sales talk
  10. track — to keep track
  11. object — an aim
  12. object — to protest
  13. suit — in cards
  14. fine — all right
  15. suit — clothes
  16. bank — for money
  17. club — for dancing
  18. trunk — of a tree
  19. trunk — of an elephant
  20. club — for golf
  21. pitch — a sports field
  22. bank — for money
  23. trunk — of a car
  24. pitch — completely

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