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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. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  2. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  3. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  4. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  5. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  6. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  7. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  8. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  9. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  10. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  11. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  12. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  13. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  14. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  15. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  16. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  17. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  18. What do you think of the new ________________?
  19. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  20. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  21. Where did you ________________ them?
  22. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  23. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  24. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?

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

Answer key

  1. row — a line
  2. net — after costs
  3. row — to paddle
  4. tear — from crying
  5. net — for catching
  6. object — an aim
  7. cabinet — a cupboard
  8. bank — for money
  9. tear — from crying
  10. mark — a trace
  11. mug — a face
  12. mug — a cup
  13. row — a quarrel
  14. tear — to rip
  15. object — a thing
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. bank — for money
  18. cabinet — ministers
  19. mark — a grade
  20. mark — to pay attention
  21. mug — to rob
  22. bank — of a river
  23. net — in sport
  24. object — to protest

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