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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. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  2. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  3. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  4. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  5. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  6. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  7. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  8. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  9. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  10. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  11. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  12. What do you think of the new ________________?
  13. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  14. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  15. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  16. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  17. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  18. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  19. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  20. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  21. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  22. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  23. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  24. I'd like to play a game of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. object — a thing
  2. perch — the fish
  3. bass — low music
  4. object — an aim
  5. pit — a hole
  6. drill — the tool
  7. pit — a fruit stone
  8. bass — the fish
  9. fan — a supporter
  10. fan — a supporter
  11. pit — in a race
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. perch — for a bird
  14. object — to protest
  15. drill — a practice
  16. bass — the instrument
  17. squash — to crush
  18. cabinet — a cupboard
  19. perch — for a bird
  20. squash — the vegetable
  21. cabinet — ministers
  22. fan — to cool the air
  23. drill — army training
  24. squash — the sport

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