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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. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  3. Did you ________________ the meat?
  4. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  5. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  6. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  7. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  8. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  9. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  10. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  11. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  12. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  13. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  14. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  15. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  16. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  17. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  18. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  19. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  20. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  21. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  22. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  23. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  24. Don't do anything ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. object — a thing
  2. bat — the animal
  3. season — to add flavour
  4. bear — the animal
  5. bat — in an idiom
  6. prune — to trim
  7. chip — for betting
  8. bear — the animal
  9. prune — the fruit
  10. chip — in a computer
  11. object — to protest
  12. season — in sport
  13. bat — for baseball
  14. season — of the year
  15. chip — to eat
  16. object — an aim
  17. march — the month
  18. prune — to trim
  19. bear — to put up with
  20. rash — a series
  21. march — the month
  22. march — music
  23. rash — on the skin
  24. rash — hasty

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