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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: clip · mug · net · coach · object · bank · toast · row

  1. Where did you ________________ them?
  2. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  3. Have you met the new head ________________?
  4. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  5. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  6. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  7. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  8. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  9. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  10. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  11. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  12. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  13. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  14. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  15. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  16. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  17. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  18. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  19. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  20. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  21. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  22. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  23. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  24. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — to rob
  2. clip — for paper
  3. coach — a trainer
  4. toast — a drink to someone
  5. net — in sport
  6. bank — for money
  7. toast — bread
  8. net — for catching
  9. clip — to cut
  10. object — to protest
  11. bank — for money
  12. bank — of a river
  13. row — to paddle
  14. clip — a video
  15. mug — a cup
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. coach — pulled by horses
  18. row — a line
  19. row — a quarrel
  20. net — after costs
  21. object — a thing
  22. toast — the most admired
  23. mug — a face
  24. object — an aim

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