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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. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  2. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  3. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  4. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  5. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  6. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  7. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  8. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  9. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  10. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  11. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  12. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  13. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  14. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  15. The tickets are free of ________________.
  16. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  17. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  18. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  19. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  20. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  21. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  22. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  23. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  24. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — a piece of wood
  2. bank — of a river
  3. track — a path
  4. track — a song
  5. object — a thing
  6. bear — the animal
  7. bear — to put up with
  8. track — to keep track
  9. field — a subject
  10. bear — the animal
  11. charge — electricity
  12. stick — a piece of wood
  13. bank — for money
  14. object — to protest
  15. charge — a price
  16. field — farmland
  17. face — part of the head
  18. object — an aim
  19. face — to point toward
  20. stick — to attach or keep to
  21. face — to confront
  22. charge — in control
  23. field — for sport
  24. bank — for money

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