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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. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  2. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  3. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  4. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  5. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  6. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  7. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  8. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  9. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  10. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  11. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  12. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  13. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  14. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  15. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  16. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  17. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  18. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  19. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  20. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  21. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  22. David sat on the ________________.
  23. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  24. That was ________________ to happen.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — a garden tool
  2. object — an aim
  3. bound — obliged
  4. bank — for money
  5. lash — an eyelash
  6. bound — tied together
  7. object — to protest
  8. lash — a whip stroke
  9. pitch — a sales talk
  10. shower — a meteor shower
  11. fork — in a road
  12. shower — rain
  13. pitch — completely
  14. swing — in golf
  15. fork — to eat with
  16. swing — music
  17. shower — to wash
  18. object — a thing
  19. pitch — a sports field
  20. bank — for money
  21. lash — to lash out
  22. swing — to play on
  23. bank — of a river
  24. bound — certain

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