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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. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  2. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  3. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  4. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  5. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  6. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  7. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  8. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  9. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  10. There's no middle ________________.
  11. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  12. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  13. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  14. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  15. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  16. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  17. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  18. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  19. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  20. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  21. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  22. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  23. I'll be taking the ________________.
  24. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.

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

Answer key

  1. object — an aim
  2. object — a thing
  3. tube — a container
  4. wave — of the sea
  5. wound — an injury
  6. wave — with your hand
  7. ground — crushed
  8. wound — an injury
  9. object — to protest
  10. ground — a position
  11. bank — of a river
  12. safe — a strongbox
  13. wound — past of 'wind'
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. firm — a company
  16. ground — the earth
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. bank — for money
  19. firm — steady
  20. wave — a sudden rise
  21. firm — decided
  22. bank — for money
  23. tube — the underground
  24. tube — in a tire

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