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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 116 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 ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  2. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  3. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  4. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  5. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  6. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  7. That was ________________ to happen.
  8. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  9. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  10. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  11. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  12. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  13. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  14. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  15. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  16. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  17. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  18. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  19. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  20. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  21. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  22. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  23. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  24. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. lash — a whip stroke
  3. leaves — lets stay
  4. object — to protest
  5. scale — size or range
  6. bank — of a river
  7. bound — certain
  8. scale — for weighing
  9. bound — tied together
  10. bound — obliged
  11. lash — to lash out
  12. pass — to spend time
  13. bank — for money
  14. leaves — of a tree
  15. fork — to eat with
  16. leaves — to go away
  17. fork — in a road
  18. lash — an eyelash
  19. object — a thing
  20. pass — to succeed
  21. scale — in music
  22. fork — a garden tool
  23. pass — a permit
  24. object — an aim

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