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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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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

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

  1. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  2. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  3. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  4. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  5. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  6. The tickets are free of ________________.
  7. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  8. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  9. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  10. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  11. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  12. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  13. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  14. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  15. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  16. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  17. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  18. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.

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

Answer key

  1. object — a thing
  2. object — to protest
  3. staff — a stick
  4. charge — in control
  5. fan — a supporter
  6. charge — a price
  7. foot — part of the body
  8. charge — electricity
  9. fan — to cool the air
  10. net — in sport
  11. staff — employees
  12. net — after costs
  13. staff — employees
  14. net — for catching
  15. foot — the bottom
  16. object — an aim
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. foot — a measure

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