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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 120 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. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  3. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  4. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  5. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  6. He works in a ________________ mill.
  7. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  8. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  9. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  10. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  11. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  12. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  13. When are we going to ________________?
  14. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  15. She's very handy with a ________________.
  16. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  17. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  18. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  19. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  20. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  21. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  22. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  23. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  24. The train ________________ at six o'clock.

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

Answer key

  1. object — a thing
  2. cue — a signal
  3. wake — to stop sleeping
  4. wake — before a funeral
  5. trunk — of a car
  6. saw — the tool
  7. cue — a hint
  8. land — ground
  9. wake — a trail
  10. firm — a company
  11. leaves — lets stay
  12. leaves — of a tree
  13. land — to come down
  14. land — a country
  15. saw — the tool
  16. object — to protest
  17. firm — steady
  18. trunk — of a tree
  19. saw — past of 'see'
  20. trunk — of an elephant
  21. cue — for pool
  22. object — an aim
  23. firm — decided
  24. leaves — to go away

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