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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. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  2. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  3. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  4. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  5. We're almost out of ________________.
  6. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  7. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  8. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  9. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  10. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  11. You don't need to ________________ round.
  12. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  13. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  14. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  15. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  16. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  17. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  18. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  19. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  20. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  21. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  22. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  23. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  24. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. object — an aim
  2. prune — to trim
  3. bank — for money
  4. pitch — completely
  5. pop — soda
  6. mark — a grade
  7. mark — to pay attention
  8. prune — the fruit
  9. pitch — a sports field
  10. bass — low music
  11. pop — to visit
  12. mark — a trace
  13. pitch — a sales talk
  14. prune — to trim
  15. track — a path
  16. object — a thing
  17. pop — music
  18. bank — for money
  19. object — to protest
  20. track — a song
  21. bass — the fish
  22. bass — the instrument
  23. track — to keep track
  24. bank — of a river

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