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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 120 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'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  3. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  4. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  5. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  6. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  7. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  8. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  9. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  10. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  11. Don't do anything ________________.
  12. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  13. The ________________ took off on time.
  14. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  15. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  16. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  17. I'll be taking the ________________.
  18. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  19. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  20. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  21. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  22. That was a fun ________________.
  23. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  24. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.

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

Answer key

  1. object — an aim
  2. bank — for money
  3. object — a thing
  4. pit — a hole
  5. plane — a tool
  6. tube — a container
  7. plane — in geometry
  8. rest — a break
  9. pit — a fruit stone
  10. bank — of a river
  11. rash — hasty
  12. pit — in a race
  13. plane — an aircraft
  14. rest — what's left
  15. rest — what's left
  16. bank — for money
  17. tube — the underground
  18. object — to protest
  19. rash — on the skin
  20. tube — in a tire
  21. rash — a series
  22. game — a match
  23. game — wild animals
  24. game — a kind of play

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