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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. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  2. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  3. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  4. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  5. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  6. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  7. We're almost out of ________________.
  8. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  9. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  10. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  11. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  12. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  13. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  14. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  15. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  16. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  17. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  18. My father caught me by the ________________.
  19. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  20. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  21. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  22. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  23. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  24. You don't need to ________________ round.

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

Answer key

  1. object — an aim
  2. deal — to handle
  3. arm — a part of something
  4. object — to protest
  5. rest — a break
  6. arm — part of the body
  7. pop — soda
  8. rest — what's left
  9. object — a thing
  10. pop — music
  11. branch — of a tree
  12. rock — to move gently
  13. branch — a division
  14. rock — music
  15. rest — what's left
  16. cap — a lid
  17. deal — a big deal
  18. arm — part of the body
  19. rock — a stone
  20. deal — an agreement
  21. cap — a hat
  22. cap — of ice
  23. branch — of a bank
  24. pop — to visit

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