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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. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  2. When will it ________________ you to start?
  3. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  4. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  5. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  6. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  7. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  8. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  9. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  10. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  11. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  12. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  13. That was a fun ________________.
  14. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  15. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  16. The light ________________ burned out.
  17. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  18. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  19. What do you think of the new ________________?
  20. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  21. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  22. I've got to change the light ________________.
  23. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  24. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. suit — to fit
  3. kid — child
  4. game — wild animals
  5. object — an aim
  6. wind — moving air
  7. kid — to tease
  8. game — a kind of play
  9. bank — for money
  10. suit — clothes
  11. bulb — of a plant
  12. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  13. game — a match
  14. wind — moving air
  15. cabinet — a cupboard
  16. bulb — for light
  17. cabinet — ministers
  18. object — a thing
  19. cabinet — ministers
  20. wind — to turn a key
  21. suit — in cards
  22. bulb — for light
  23. bank — of a river
  24. object — to protest

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