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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. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  2. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  3. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  4. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  5. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  6. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  7. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  8. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  9. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  10. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  11. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  12. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  13. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  14. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  15. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  16. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  17. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  18. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  19. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  20. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  21. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  22. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  23. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  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 — to protest
  2. file — a line of people
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. toast — bread
  5. snap — to speak sharply
  6. object — a thing
  7. snap — to snap out of it
  8. file — a tool
  9. mouse — for a computer
  10. staff — employees
  11. board — a flat piece
  12. toast — the most admired
  13. file — a document
  14. kid — to tease
  15. board — to get on
  16. board — a committee
  17. snap — to click
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. staff — employees
  20. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  21. staff — a stick
  22. kid — child
  23. toast — a drink to someone
  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