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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. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  2. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  3. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  4. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  5. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  6. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  7. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  8. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  9. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  10. We're on a ________________ here.
  11. The ________________ went through the wall.
  12. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  13. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  14. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  15. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  16. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  17. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  18. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  19. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  20. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  21. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  22. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  23. It's one o'clock ________________.
  24. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?

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

Answer key

  1. object — a thing
  2. roll — a list
  3. net — after costs
  4. rock — a stone
  5. track — to keep track
  6. sharp — with an edge
  7. net — in sport
  8. bank — for money
  9. rock — to move gently
  10. roll — on a roll
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. bank — for money
  13. bank — of a river
  14. track — a song
  15. object — an aim
  16. nail — on a finger
  17. sharp — clever
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. object — to protest
  20. roll — a cake
  21. track — a path
  22. net — for catching
  23. sharp — exactly
  24. rock — music

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