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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. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  2. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  3. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  4. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  5. The ________________ went through the wall.
  6. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  7. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  8. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  9. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  10. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  11. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  12. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  13. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  14. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  15. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  16. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  17. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  18. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  19. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  20. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  21. He was locked up in a ________________.
  22. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  23. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  24. What was your ________________ profit last year?

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

Answer key

  1. scale — size or range
  2. bank — for money
  3. mine — belonging to me
  4. bank — of a river
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. object — to protest
  7. safe — a strongbox
  8. cell — a phone
  9. cell — in biology
  10. net — for catching
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. scale — for weighing
  13. net — in sport
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. scale — in music
  16. object — an aim
  17. mine — an explosive
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. mine — for digging
  20. object — a thing
  21. cell — in a prison
  22. bank — for money
  23. nail — on a finger
  24. net — after costs

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