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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. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  2. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  3. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  4. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  5. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  6. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  7. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  8. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  9. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  10. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  11. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  12. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  13. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  14. When was this ________________ built?
  15. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  16. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  17. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  18. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  19. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  20. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  21. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  22. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  23. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  24. Should I buy a wireless ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. wake — a trail
  2. temple — a place of worship
  3. object — an aim
  4. wake — before a funeral
  5. firm — steady
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. bank — for money
  8. object — to protest
  9. wake — to stop sleeping
  10. degree — from a university
  11. degree — temperature
  12. snap — to snap out of it
  13. bank — for money
  14. temple — a place of worship
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. firm — a company
  17. snap — to click
  18. degree — an amount
  19. bank — of a river
  20. firm — decided
  21. snap — to speak sharply
  22. object — a thing
  23. temple — side of the head
  24. mouse — for a computer

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