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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. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  2. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  3. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  4. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  5. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  6. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  7. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  8. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  9. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  10. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  11. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  12. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  13. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  14. My mare is ________________ in color.
  15. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  16. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  17. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  18. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  19. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  20. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  21. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  22. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  23. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  24. He keeps ________________ of his days.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. staff — employees
  3. club — for dancing
  4. object — to protest
  5. net — for catching
  6. track — a path
  7. net — in sport
  8. band — a music group
  9. object — a thing
  10. bank — for money
  11. staff — employees
  12. staff — a stick
  13. band — a rubber band
  14. bay — a horse colour
  15. bay — to keep at bay
  16. track — a song
  17. club — a group
  18. object — an aim
  19. band — a ring
  20. bank — of a river
  21. bay — a part of the sea
  22. club — for golf
  23. net — after costs
  24. track — to keep track

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