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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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468
Word bank
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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. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  3. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  4. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  5. What do you think of the new ________________?
  6. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  7. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  8. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  9. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  10. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  11. I've got to change the light ________________.
  12. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  13. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  14. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  15. The light ________________ burned out.
  16. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  17. My father caught me by the ________________.
  18. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  19. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  20. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  21. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  22. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  23. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  24. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.

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

Answer key

  1. object — a thing
  2. wind — to turn a key
  3. safe — a strongbox
  4. object — an aim
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. file — a document
  7. cabinet — a cupboard
  8. kick — with a leg
  9. kick — in football
  10. object — to protest
  11. bulb — for light
  12. kick — a thrill
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. arm — a part of something
  15. bulb — for light
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. arm — part of the body
  18. file — a line of people
  19. cabinet — ministers
  20. bulb — of a plant
  21. wind — moving air
  22. arm — part of the body
  23. file — a tool
  24. wind — moving air

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