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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 116 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. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  2. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  3. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  4. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  5. You don't need to ________________ round.
  6. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  7. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  8. We're almost out of ________________.
  9. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  10. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  11. What do you think of the new ________________?
  12. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  13. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  14. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  15. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  16. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  17. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  18. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  19. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  20. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  21. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  22. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  23. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  24. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wake — a trail
  2. bank — of a river
  3. pop — music
  4. object — a thing
  5. pop — to visit
  6. row — to paddle
  7. bank — for money
  8. pop — soda
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. mark — a trace
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. object — to protest
  13. row — a quarrel
  14. mark — to pay attention
  15. row — a line
  16. mark — a grade
  17. wake — to stop sleeping
  18. lean — to bend
  19. wake — before a funeral
  20. lean — thin
  21. lean — to rest against
  22. object — an aim
  23. bank — for money
  24. cabinet — a cupboard

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