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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. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  3. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  4. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  5. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  6. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  7. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  8. The ________________ market has crashed.
  9. Have you settled on a ________________?
  10. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  11. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  12. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  13. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  14. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  15. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  16. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  17. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  18. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  19. He was locked up in a ________________.
  20. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  21. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  22. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  23. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  24. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. object — a thing
  2. fan — a supporter
  3. chair — to sit on
  4. date — on the calendar
  5. fan — a supporter
  6. cell — in biology
  7. fan — to cool the air
  8. stock — shares
  9. date — on the calendar
  10. stock — goods
  11. cue — a signal
  12. object — to protest
  13. stock — a soup base
  14. toast — a drink to someone
  15. cue — a hint
  16. chair — a professorship
  17. toast — the most admired
  18. toast — bread
  19. cell — in a prison
  20. date — the fruit
  21. cue — for pool
  22. cell — a phone
  23. chair — a leader
  24. object — an aim

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