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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. That was a fun ________________.
  2. When will it ________________ you to start?
  3. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  4. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  5. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  6. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  7. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  8. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  9. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  10. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  11. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  12. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  13. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  14. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  15. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  16. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  17. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  18. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  19. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  20. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  21. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  22. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  23. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  24. I'd like to play a game of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. game — a match
  2. suit — to fit
  3. squash — the vegetable
  4. object — a thing
  5. bark — a dog's sound
  6. march — the month
  7. game — wild animals
  8. bark — to shout
  9. bank — for money
  10. straw — to clutch at straws
  11. squash — to crush
  12. straw — a straw man
  13. straw — dry grass
  14. march — the month
  15. bark — of a tree
  16. object — an aim
  17. bank — of a river
  18. suit — clothes
  19. march — music
  20. bank — for money
  21. game — a kind of play
  22. suit — in cards
  23. object — to protest
  24. squash — the sport

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