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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. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  2. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  3. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  4. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  5. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  6. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  7. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  8. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  9. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  10. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  11. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  12. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  13. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  14. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  15. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  16. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  17. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  18. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  19. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  20. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  21. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  22. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  23. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  24. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.

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

Answer key

  1. object — an aim
  2. firm — a company
  3. object — to protest
  4. bear — the animal
  5. bowl — a dish
  6. object — a thing
  7. bear — to put up with
  8. wind — moving air
  9. chip — in a computer
  10. firm — steady
  11. bowl — to roll
  12. rest — what's left
  13. chip — to eat
  14. pit — a fruit stone
  15. chip — for betting
  16. bear — the animal
  17. wind — to turn a key
  18. rest — what's left
  19. pit — a hole
  20. firm — decided
  21. rest — a break
  22. bowl — a football final
  23. wind — moving air
  24. pit — in a race

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