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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. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  2. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  3. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  4. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  5. Have you met the new head ________________?
  6. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  7. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  8. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  9. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  10. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  11. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  12. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  13. We're almost out of ________________.
  14. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  15. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  16. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  17. You don't need to ________________ round.
  18. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  19. Have you settled on a ________________?
  20. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  21. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  22. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  23. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  24. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — of a river
  2. can — a tin
  3. degree — temperature
  4. date — on the calendar
  5. coach — a trainer
  6. can — a tin
  7. degree — from a university
  8. board — a flat piece
  9. date — the fruit
  10. board — a committee
  11. pop — music
  12. object — an aim
  13. pop — soda
  14. coach — pulled by horses
  15. can — to be able to
  16. bank — for money
  17. pop — to visit
  18. object — to protest
  19. date — on the calendar
  20. board — to get on
  21. degree — an amount
  22. bank — for money
  23. object — a thing
  24. coach — a trainer

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