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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. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  2. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  3. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  4. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  5. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  6. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  7. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  8. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  9. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  10. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  11. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  12. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  13. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  14. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  15. Don't do anything ________________.
  16. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  17. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  18. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  19. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  20. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  21. When will it ________________ you to start?
  22. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  23. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  24. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.

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

Answer key

  1. object — a thing
  2. row — to paddle
  3. pass — a permit
  4. object — to protest
  5. bat — for baseball
  6. rash — on the skin
  7. branch — a division
  8. suit — in cards
  9. pass — to spend time
  10. branch — of a tree
  11. rash — a series
  12. object — an aim
  13. bank — for money
  14. bank — for money
  15. rash — hasty
  16. row — a quarrel
  17. row — a line
  18. bank — of a river
  19. bat — in an idiom
  20. bat — the animal
  21. suit — to fit
  22. branch — of a bank
  23. suit — clothes
  24. pass — to succeed

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