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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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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. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  2. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  3. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  4. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  5. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  6. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  7. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  8. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  9. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  10. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  11. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  12. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  13. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  14. This piece is in a major ________________.
  15. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  16. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  17. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  18. I would like to have a ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. squash — the sport
  2. object — a thing
  3. shower — rain
  4. object — to protest
  5. rock — to move gently
  6. key — for a lock
  7. object — an aim
  8. rest — what's left
  9. rock — a stone
  10. shower — a meteor shower
  11. key — the most important part
  12. shower — to wash
  13. rock — music
  14. key — in music
  15. rest — what's left
  16. squash — the vegetable
  17. squash — to crush
  18. rest — a break

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