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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. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  2. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  3. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  4. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  5. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  6. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  7. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  8. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  9. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  10. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  11. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  12. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  13. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  14. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  15. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  16. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  17. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  18. He works in a ________________ mill.
  19. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  20. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  21. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  22. She's very handy with a ________________.
  23. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  24. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.

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

Answer key

  1. object — an aim
  2. object — to protest
  3. object — a thing
  4. wound — an injury
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. wound — an injury
  7. lie — to recline
  8. cue — a hint
  9. tear — from crying
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. bank — of a river
  12. tear — to rip
  13. calf — of the leg
  14. bank — for money
  15. bank — for money
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. tear — from crying
  18. saw — the tool
  19. wound — past of 'wind'
  20. saw — past of 'see'
  21. cue — for pool
  22. saw — the tool
  23. calf — a young animal
  24. cue — a signal

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