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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 120 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. You don't need to ________________ round.
  3. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  4. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  5. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  6. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  7. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  8. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  9. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  10. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  11. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  12. We're almost out of ________________.
  13. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  14. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  15. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  16. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  17. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  18. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  19. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  20. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  21. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  22. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  23. That must've been a ________________.
  24. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.

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

Answer key

  1. object — a thing
  2. pop — to visit
  3. object — to protest
  4. mouse — for a computer
  5. rush — hurry
  6. deal — a big deal
  7. rush — to hurry
  8. pound — for dogs
  9. bank — for money
  10. pop — music
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. pop — soda
  13. deal — an agreement
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. ruler — a monarch
  16. deal — to handle
  17. object — an aim
  18. pound — a weight
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. bank — of a river
  21. pound — to hit hard
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. rush — a thrill
  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