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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. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  3. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  4. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  5. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  6. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  7. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  8. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  9. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  10. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  11. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  12. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  13. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  14. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  15. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  16. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  17. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  18. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  19. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  20. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  21. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  22. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  23. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  24. He was blown up by a land ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. object — a thing
  2. object — an aim
  3. foot — a measure
  4. mine — for digging
  5. mine — belonging to me
  6. march — the month
  7. foot — part of the body
  8. bear — to put up with
  9. march — the month
  10. chip — to eat
  11. march — music
  12. stick — to attach or keep to
  13. object — to protest
  14. chip — for betting
  15. bear — the animal
  16. chip — in a computer
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. bear — the animal
  19. lie — to recline
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. foot — the bottom
  23. stick — a piece of wood
  24. mine — an explosive

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