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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. The King held a masked ________________.
  3. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  4. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  5. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  6. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  7. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  8. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  9. That must've been a ________________.
  10. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  11. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  12. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  13. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  14. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  15. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  16. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  17. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  18. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  19. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  20. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  21. I'll be taking the ________________.
  22. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  23. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  24. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.

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

Answer key

  1. object — a thing
  2. ball — a dance
  3. tear — to rip
  4. object — an aim
  5. pit — in a race
  6. kick — with a leg
  7. kick — a thrill
  8. pit — a hole
  9. rush — a thrill
  10. ball — a great time
  11. rush — hurry
  12. tear — from crying
  13. ball — a round shape
  14. tube — in a tire
  15. rush — to hurry
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. safe — a strongbox
  18. tear — from crying
  19. object — to protest
  20. safe — out of danger
  21. tube — the underground
  22. pit — a fruit stone
  23. tube — a container
  24. kick — in football

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