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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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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 train ________________ at six o'clock.
  3. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  4. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  5. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  6. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  7. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  8. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  9. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  10. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  11. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  12. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  13. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  14. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  15. I'll be taking the ________________.
  16. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  17. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  18. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  19. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  20. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  21. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  22. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  23. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  24. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.

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

Answer key

  1. object — a thing
  2. leaves — to go away
  3. foot — the bottom
  4. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  5. bat — for baseball
  6. foot — part of the body
  7. leaves — lets stay
  8. tube — a container
  9. tube — in a tire
  10. kid — child
  11. object — an aim
  12. bark — of a tree
  13. object — to protest
  14. bat — in an idiom
  15. tube — the underground
  16. leaves — of a tree
  17. bat — the animal
  18. present — the time now
  19. present — a gift
  20. bark — to shout
  21. present — there
  22. foot — a measure
  23. kid — to tease
  24. bark — a dog's sound

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