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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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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: wake · bank · stand · ground · bat · net · object · track

  1. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  2. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  3. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  4. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  5. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  6. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  7. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  8. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  9. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  10. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  11. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  12. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  13. There's no middle ________________.
  14. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  15. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  16. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  17. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  18. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  19. I can't ________________ this cold.
  20. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  21. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  22. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  23. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  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. object — an aim
  2. bat — in an idiom
  3. bat — the animal
  4. wake — a trail
  5. ground — the earth
  6. net — in sport
  7. track — a path
  8. wake — before a funeral
  9. bat — for baseball
  10. wake — to stop sleeping
  11. bank — for money
  12. stand — for spectators
  13. ground — a position
  14. track — to keep track
  15. bank — for money
  16. track — a song
  17. ground — crushed
  18. net — for catching
  19. stand — to bear
  20. object — a thing
  21. net — after costs
  22. bank — of a river
  23. stand — on your feet
  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