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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. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  3. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  4. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  5. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  6. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  7. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  8. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  9. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  10. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  11. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  12. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  13. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  14. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  15. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  16. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  17. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  18. When are we going to ________________?
  19. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  20. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  21. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  22. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  23. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  24. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. object — a thing
  2. file — a tool
  3. file — a line of people
  4. straw — to clutch at straws
  5. firm — decided
  6. net — in sport
  7. pit — a hole
  8. can — a tin
  9. firm — steady
  10. land — ground
  11. firm — a company
  12. net — for catching
  13. pit — in a race
  14. straw — dry grass
  15. object — an aim
  16. can — a tin
  17. can — to be able to
  18. land — to come down
  19. straw — a straw man
  20. land — a country
  21. net — after costs
  22. file — a document
  23. object — to protest
  24. pit — a fruit stone

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