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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. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  2. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  3. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  4. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  5. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  6. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  7. The King held a masked ________________.
  8. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  9. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  10. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  11. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  12. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  13. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  14. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  15. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  16. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  17. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  18. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  19. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  20. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  21. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  22. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  23. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  24. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. object — to protest
  2. wake — before a funeral
  3. ball — a great time
  4. club — a group
  5. bank — for money
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. ball — a dance
  8. racket — for tennis
  9. wake — to stop sleeping
  10. club — for golf
  11. club — for dancing
  12. object — a thing
  13. stick — to attach or keep to
  14. wake — a trail
  15. racket — a loud noise
  16. object — an aim
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. ball — a round shape
  19. bank — for money
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. racket — for tennis
  22. bank — of a river
  23. ruler — a monarch
  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