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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 116 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. This piece is in a major ________________.
  2. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  3. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  4. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  5. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  6. I'll be taking the ________________.
  7. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  8. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  9. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  10. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  11. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  12. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  13. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  14. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  15. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  16. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  17. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  18. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  19. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  20. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  21. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  22. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  23. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  24. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.

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

Answer key

  1. key — in music
  2. object — a thing
  3. tube — a container
  4. key — for a lock
  5. object — an aim
  6. tube — the underground
  7. tube — in a tire
  8. object — to protest
  9. mine — for digging
  10. chair — a leader
  11. fine — all right
  12. trunk — of an elephant
  13. key — the most important part
  14. mine — belonging to me
  15. chair — a professorship
  16. trunk — of a car
  17. bowl — a football final
  18. chair — to sit on
  19. fine — a penalty
  20. bowl — a dish
  21. fine — high quality
  22. trunk — of a tree
  23. mine — an explosive
  24. bowl — to roll

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