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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. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  2. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  3. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  4. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  5. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  6. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  7. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  8. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  9. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  10. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  11. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  12. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  13. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  14. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  15. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  16. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  17. The tickets are free of ________________.
  18. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  19. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  20. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  21. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  22. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  23. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  24. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.

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

Answer key

  1. track — a song
  2. track — a path
  3. bank — of a river
  4. bank — for money
  5. board — a flat piece
  6. wake — to stop sleeping
  7. board — a committee
  8. charge — in control
  9. object — a thing
  10. racket — a loud noise
  11. bat — in an idiom
  12. bank — for money
  13. racket — for tennis
  14. racket — for tennis
  15. wake — before a funeral
  16. object — to protest
  17. charge — a price
  18. object — an aim
  19. wake — a trail
  20. charge — electricity
  21. bat — for baseball
  22. board — to get on
  23. track — to keep track
  24. bat — the animal

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