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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 116 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. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  3. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  4. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  5. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  6. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  7. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  8. When will it ________________ you to start?
  9. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  10. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  11. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  12. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  13. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  14. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  15. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  16. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  17. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  18. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  19. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  20. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  21. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  22. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  23. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  24. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.

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

Answer key

  1. object — a thing
  2. straw — a straw man
  3. bass — the instrument
  4. straw — dry grass
  5. bass — the fish
  6. suit — clothes
  7. degree — an amount
  8. suit — to fit
  9. race — humankind
  10. suit — in cards
  11. degree — from a university
  12. lean — thin
  13. race — the arms race
  14. hide — animal skin
  15. lean — to bend
  16. degree — temperature
  17. object — an aim
  18. lean — to rest against
  19. hide — to keep secret
  20. straw — to clutch at straws
  21. hide — to keep secret
  22. object — to protest
  23. bass — low music
  24. race — a contest

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