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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. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  2. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  3. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  4. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  5. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  6. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  7. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  8. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  9. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  10. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  11. When will it ________________ you to start?
  12. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  13. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  14. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  15. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  16. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  17. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  18. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  19. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  20. The ball is in your ________________.
  21. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  22. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  23. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  24. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.

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

Answer key

  1. wake — a trail
  2. bank — for money
  3. object — a thing
  4. club — for dancing
  5. wake — before a funeral
  6. chest — of your body
  7. bank — for money
  8. chest — of your body
  9. club — for golf
  10. object — an aim
  11. suit — to fit
  12. object — to protest
  13. suit — in cards
  14. bark — to shout
  15. bark — a dog's sound
  16. suit — clothes
  17. chest — a box
  18. club — a group
  19. court — of a king
  20. court — for sport
  21. bank — of a river
  22. bark — of a tree
  23. court — of law
  24. wake — to stop sleeping

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