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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. He is an ace ________________.
  2. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  3. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  4. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  5. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  6. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  7. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  8. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  9. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  10. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  11. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  12. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  13. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  14. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  15. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  16. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  17. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  18. When will it ________________ you to start?
  19. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  20. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  21. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  22. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  23. This piece is in a major ________________.
  24. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — in baseball
  2. squash — to crush
  3. suit — clothes
  4. bank — for money
  5. object — a thing
  6. rule — to rule out
  7. rule — government
  8. object — to protest
  9. squash — the sport
  10. rule — a law
  11. bank — of a river
  12. tear — to rip
  13. suit — in cards
  14. key — the most important part
  15. tear — from crying
  16. tear — from crying
  17. object — an aim
  18. suit — to fit
  19. pitcher — a jug
  20. key — for a lock
  21. squash — the vegetable
  22. pitcher — a jug
  23. key — in music
  24. bank — for money

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