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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. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  3. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  4. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  5. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  6. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  7. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  8. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  9. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  10. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  11. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  12. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  13. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  14. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  15. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  16. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  17. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  18. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  19. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  20. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  21. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  22. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  23. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  24. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.

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

Answer key

  1. object — a thing
  2. bear — the animal
  3. object — to protest
  4. patient — a sick person
  5. race — a contest
  6. mine — belonging to me
  7. toast — the most admired
  8. race — the arms race
  9. bear — the animal
  10. mine — an explosive
  11. capital — a city
  12. toast — bread
  13. toast — a drink to someone
  14. mine — for digging
  15. capital — a big letter
  16. capital — money
  17. wake — to stop sleeping
  18. object — an aim
  19. patient — a sick person
  20. bear — to put up with
  21. wake — a trail
  22. race — humankind
  23. wake — before a funeral
  24. patient — calm and waiting

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