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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. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  2. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  3. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  4. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  5. The water is too ________________.
  6. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  7. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  8. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  9. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  10. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  11. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  12. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  13. Where did you ________________ them?
  14. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  15. When will it ________________ you to start?
  16. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  17. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  18. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  19. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  20. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  21. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  22. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  23. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  24. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.

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

Answer key

  1. object — a thing
  2. foot — a measure
  3. cold — the Cold War
  4. mug — a cup
  5. cold — not warm
  6. track — to keep track
  7. track — a path
  8. suit — clothes
  9. row — a line
  10. row — to paddle
  11. object — to protest
  12. row — a quarrel
  13. mug — to rob
  14. cold — an illness
  15. suit — to fit
  16. bank — for money
  17. foot — part of the body
  18. object — an aim
  19. foot — the bottom
  20. mug — a face
  21. suit — in cards
  22. bank — of a river
  23. track — a song
  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