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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. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  2. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  3. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  4. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  5. He is an ace ________________.
  6. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  7. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  8. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  9. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  10. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  11. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  12. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  13. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  14. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  15. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  16. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  17. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  18. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  19. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  20. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  21. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  22. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  23. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  24. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. net — in sport
  3. pit — a fruit stone
  4. track — a path
  5. pitcher — in baseball
  6. track — to keep track
  7. pit — a hole
  8. object — to protest
  9. club — a group
  10. bank — of a river
  11. bank — for money
  12. club — for golf
  13. net — after costs
  14. pitcher — a jug
  15. net — for catching
  16. pitcher — a jug
  17. track — a song
  18. perch — for a bird
  19. object — a thing
  20. perch — the fish
  21. pit — in a race
  22. object — an aim
  23. club — for dancing
  24. perch — for a bird

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