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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: object · pound · toast · branch · sharp · pitcher · suit · shower

  1. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  2. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  3. He is an ace ________________.
  4. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  5. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  6. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  7. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  8. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  9. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  10. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  11. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  12. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  13. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  14. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  15. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  16. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  17. When will it ________________ you to start?
  18. It's one o'clock ________________.
  19. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  20. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  21. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  22. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  23. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  24. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.

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

Answer key

  1. toast — the most admired
  2. object — a thing
  3. pitcher — in baseball
  4. shower — rain
  5. object — to protest
  6. toast — a drink to someone
  7. shower — a meteor shower
  8. suit — in cards
  9. pound — for dogs
  10. suit — clothes
  11. pound — a weight
  12. shower — to wash
  13. branch — a division
  14. toast — bread
  15. pound — to hit hard
  16. pitcher — a jug
  17. suit — to fit
  18. sharp — exactly
  19. sharp — clever
  20. branch — of a bank
  21. object — an aim
  22. pitcher — a jug
  23. sharp — with an edge
  24. branch — of a tree

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