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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 was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  2. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  3. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  4. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  5. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  6. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  7. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  8. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  9. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  10. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  11. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  12. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  13. When are we going to ________________?
  14. What do you think of the new ________________?
  15. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  16. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  17. The King held a masked ________________.
  18. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  19. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  20. The ________________ went through the wall.
  21. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  22. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  23. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  24. The train ________________ at six o'clock.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a great time
  2. object — a thing
  3. object — an aim
  4. cabinet — a cupboard
  5. foot — part of the body
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. stick — to attach or keep to
  8. land — ground
  9. land — a country
  10. ball — a round shape
  11. object — to protest
  12. stick — a piece of wood
  13. land — to come down
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. foot — the bottom
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. ball — a dance
  18. nail — on a finger
  19. foot — a measure
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. leaves — of a tree
  23. leaves — lets stay
  24. leaves — to go away

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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