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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. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  2. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  3. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  4. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  5. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  6. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  7. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  8. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  9. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  10. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  11. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  12. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  13. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  14. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  15. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  16. My mare is ________________ in color.
  17. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  18. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  19. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  20. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  21. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  22. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  23. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  24. The water is too ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. safe — a strongbox
  3. object — to protest
  4. fan — to cool the air
  5. fan — a supporter
  6. squash — to crush
  7. bank — for money
  8. cold — the Cold War
  9. bay — to keep at bay
  10. object — an aim
  11. squash — the vegetable
  12. bay — a part of the sea
  13. cold — an illness
  14. object — a thing
  15. bank — for money
  16. bay — a horse colour
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. mark — a grade
  19. bank — of a river
  20. squash — the sport
  21. mark — to pay attention
  22. mark — a trace
  23. safe — out of danger
  24. cold — not warm

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