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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. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  3. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  4. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  5. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  6. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  7. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  8. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  9. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  10. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  11. I'll be taking the ________________.
  12. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  13. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  14. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  15. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  16. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  17. The ________________ went through the wall.
  18. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  19. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  20. When will it ________________ you to start?
  21. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  22. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  23. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  24. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. object — a thing
  2. kick — with a leg
  3. object — to protest
  4. suit — clothes
  5. perch — for a bird
  6. deal — to handle
  7. deal — a big deal
  8. chair — a leader
  9. kick — in football
  10. perch — for a bird
  11. tube — the underground
  12. object — an aim
  13. kick — a thrill
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. perch — the fish
  16. chair — to sit on
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. tube — a container
  19. deal — an agreement
  20. suit — to fit
  21. chair — a professorship
  22. nail — on a finger
  23. tube — in a tire
  24. suit — in cards

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