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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. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  3. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  4. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  5. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  6. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  7. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  8. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  9. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  10. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  11. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  12. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  13. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  14. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  15. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  16. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  17. We're on a ________________ here.
  18. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  19. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  20. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  21. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  22. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  23. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  24. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.

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

Answer key

  1. object — a thing
  2. pit — in a race
  3. bank — of a river
  4. club — a group
  5. club — for golf
  6. bank — for money
  7. roll — a list
  8. can — to be able to
  9. pit — a hole
  10. object — an aim
  11. bat — the animal
  12. foot — a measure
  13. foot — part of the body
  14. foot — the bottom
  15. roll — a cake
  16. pit — a fruit stone
  17. roll — on a roll
  18. can — a tin
  19. bank — for money
  20. bat — in an idiom
  21. club — for dancing
  22. can — a tin
  23. object — to protest
  24. bat — for baseball

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