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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. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  3. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  4. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  5. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  6. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  7. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  8. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  9. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  10. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  11. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  12. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  13. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  14. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  15. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  16. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  17. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  18. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. object — a thing
  2. can — a tin
  3. can — a tin
  4. mine — an explosive
  5. foot — the bottom
  6. patient — calm and waiting
  7. patient — a sick person
  8. patient — a sick person
  9. track — to keep track
  10. mine — belonging to me
  11. track — a song
  12. object — to protest
  13. foot — a measure
  14. foot — part of the body
  15. can — to be able to
  16. mine — for digging
  17. track — a path
  18. object — an aim

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