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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 120 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 · chair · firm · wind · mouse · scale · present · bank

  1. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  2. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  3. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  4. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  5. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  6. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  7. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  8. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  9. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  10. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  11. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  12. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  13. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  14. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  15. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  16. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  17. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  18. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  19. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  20. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  21. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  22. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  23. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  24. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.

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

Answer key

  1. wind — to turn a key
  2. chair — to sit on
  3. firm — decided
  4. bank — for money
  5. mouse — for a computer
  6. scale — in music
  7. present — a gift
  8. bank — of a river
  9. chair — a professorship
  10. mouse — the animal
  11. firm — a company
  12. present — the time now
  13. object — an aim
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. scale — for weighing
  16. wind — moving air
  17. scale — size or range
  18. present — there
  19. object — to protest
  20. chair — a leader
  21. wind — moving air
  22. object — a thing
  23. bank — for money
  24. firm — steady

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