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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. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  2. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  3. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  4. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  5. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  6. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  7. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  8. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  9. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  10. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  11. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  12. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  13. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  14. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  15. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  16. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  17. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  18. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  19. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  20. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  21. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  22. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  23. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  24. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.

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

Answer key

  1. object — to protest
  2. mark — a grade
  3. hide — to keep secret
  4. scale — size or range
  5. scale — in music
  6. bat — for baseball
  7. mark — a trace
  8. mark — to pay attention
  9. bat — in an idiom
  10. kid — to tease
  11. firm — decided
  12. kid — child
  13. firm — a company
  14. bank — of a river
  15. bat — the animal
  16. object — an aim
  17. scale — for weighing
  18. object — a thing
  19. hide — to keep secret
  20. bank — for money
  21. hide — animal skin
  22. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  23. bank — for money
  24. firm — steady

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