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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. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  2. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  3. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  4. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  5. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  6. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  7. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  8. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  9. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  10. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  11. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  12. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  13. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  14. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  15. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  16. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  17. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  18. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  19. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  20. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  21. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  22. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  23. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  24. I'll be taking the ________________.

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. net — in sport
  4. kid — to tease
  5. object — a thing
  6. deal — an agreement
  7. branch — of a bank
  8. kick — with a leg
  9. net — for catching
  10. kid — child
  11. kick — a thrill
  12. branch — a division
  13. tube — a container
  14. branch — of a tree
  15. kick — in football
  16. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  17. toast — a drink to someone
  18. deal — a big deal
  19. toast — the most admired
  20. object — to protest
  21. net — after costs
  22. toast — bread
  23. tube — in a tire
  24. tube — the underground

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