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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. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  3. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  4. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  5. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  6. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  7. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  8. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  9. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  10. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  11. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  12. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  13. The tickets are free of ________________.
  14. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  15. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  16. The water is too ________________.
  17. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  18. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  19. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  20. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  21. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  22. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  23. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  24. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. object — an aim
  2. board — a committee
  3. bank — of a river
  4. track — a path
  5. charge — in control
  6. cold — the Cold War
  7. bank — for money
  8. object — to protest
  9. board — a flat piece
  10. bank — for money
  11. foot — part of the body
  12. track — to keep track
  13. charge — a price
  14. scale — size or range
  15. charge — electricity
  16. cold — not warm
  17. object — a thing
  18. board — to get on
  19. track — a song
  20. cold — an illness
  21. foot — the bottom
  22. scale — for weighing
  23. foot — a measure
  24. scale — in 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