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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 124 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. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  2. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  3. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  4. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  5. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  6. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  7. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  8. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  9. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  10. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  11. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  12. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  13. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  14. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  15. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  16. That was ________________ to happen.
  17. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  18. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  19. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  20. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  21. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  22. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  23. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  24. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. wave — with your hand
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. mark — a trace
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. safe — a strongbox
  7. object — an aim
  8. object — to protest
  9. bound — obliged
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. wave — of the sea
  12. mark — a grade
  13. bank — for money
  14. stick — to attach or keep to
  15. bank — of a river
  16. bound — certain
  17. object — a thing
  18. bound — tied together
  19. mark — to pay attention
  20. wave — a sudden rise
  21. lie — to recline
  22. stick — a piece of wood
  23. lie — an untruth
  24. stick — a piece of wood

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