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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. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  2. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  3. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  4. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  5. Have you found your soul ________________?
  6. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  7. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  8. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  9. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  10. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  11. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  12. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  13. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  14. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  15. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  16. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  17. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  18. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  19. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  20. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  21. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  22. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  23. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  24. I'd like to play a game of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — of a river
  2. wound — past of 'wind'
  3. chair — a professorship
  4. bank — for money
  5. mate — a partner
  6. chair — to sit on
  7. safe — a strongbox
  8. bore — to drill
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. squash — to crush
  11. bore — to tire
  12. object — an aim
  13. mate — a friend
  14. mate — to breed
  15. wound — an injury
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. object — to protest
  18. object — a thing
  19. wound — an injury
  20. bank — for money
  21. bore — gave birth
  22. squash — the vegetable
  23. chair — a leader
  24. squash — the sport

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