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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: jam · object · bank · racket · rule · track · rock · degree

  1. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  2. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  3. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  4. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  5. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  6. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  7. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  8. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  9. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  10. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  11. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  12. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  13. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  14. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  15. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  16. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  17. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  18. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  19. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  20. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  21. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  22. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  23. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  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. bank — for money
  2. jam — a tight spot
  3. degree — an amount
  4. track — a path
  5. rock — to move gently
  6. jam — in traffic
  7. rule — government
  8. racket — for tennis
  9. racket — a loud noise
  10. track — a song
  11. degree — temperature
  12. bank — of a river
  13. degree — from a university
  14. jam — to spread on bread
  15. rock — a stone
  16. object — an aim
  17. track — to keep track
  18. rule — a law
  19. bank — for money
  20. object — a thing
  21. rule — to rule out
  22. racket — for tennis
  23. rock — music
  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