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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. We're almost out of ________________.
  2. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  3. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  4. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  5. You don't need to ________________ round.
  6. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  7. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  8. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  9. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  10. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  11. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  12. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  13. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  14. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  15. Have you settled on a ________________?
  16. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  17. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  18. 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. pop — soda
  2. object — a thing
  3. date — the fruit
  4. object — an aim
  5. pop — to visit
  6. rest — what's left
  7. object — to protest
  8. rest — what's left
  9. firm — decided
  10. pop — music
  11. firm — a company
  12. kid — child
  13. date — on the calendar
  14. kid — to tease
  15. date — on the calendar
  16. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  17. rest — a break
  18. 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