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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. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  2. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  3. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  4. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  5. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  6. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  7. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  8. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  9. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  10. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  11. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  12. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  13. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  14. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  15. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  16. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  17. The King held a masked ________________.
  18. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  19. How do you ________________ your surname?
  20. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  21. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  22. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  23. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  24. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.

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

Answer key

  1. object — a thing
  2. cue — a hint
  3. ball — a round shape
  4. kick — with a leg
  5. spell — a short time
  6. deal — an agreement
  7. cue — for pool
  8. spring — the season
  9. spell — magic
  10. deal — a big deal
  11. spring — a coil
  12. spring — of water
  13. lean — thin
  14. kick — in football
  15. lean — to bend
  16. cue — a signal
  17. ball — a dance
  18. kick — a thrill
  19. spell — letters
  20. deal — to handle
  21. object — to protest
  22. object — an aim
  23. lean — to rest against
  24. ball — a great time

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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