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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. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  3. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  4. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  5. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  6. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  7. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  8. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  9. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  10. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  11. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  12. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  13. When was this ________________ built?
  14. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  15. What do you think of the new ________________?
  16. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  17. The King held a masked ________________.
  18. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  19. Have you met the new head ________________?
  20. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  21. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  22. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  23. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  24. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.

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

Answer key

  1. object — a thing
  2. coach — a trainer
  3. object — to protest
  4. coach — pulled by horses
  5. chest — of your body
  6. cabinet — a cupboard
  7. temple — a place of worship
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. chest — of your body
  10. pound — a weight
  11. pound — for dogs
  12. ball — a round shape
  13. temple — a place of worship
  14. ball — a great time
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. board — a committee
  17. ball — a dance
  18. object — an aim
  19. coach — a trainer
  20. board — a flat piece
  21. board — to get on
  22. temple — side of the head
  23. pound — to hit hard
  24. chest — a box

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