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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. When will it ________________ you to start?
  3. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  4. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  5. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  6. Have you found your soul ________________?
  7. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  8. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  9. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  10. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  11. When are we going to ________________?
  12. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  13. That must've been a ________________.
  14. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  15. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  16. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  17. My father caught me by the ________________.
  18. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  19. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  20. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  21. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  22. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  23. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  24. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?

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

Answer key

  1. object — a thing
  2. suit — to fit
  3. arm — a part of something
  4. rush — hurry
  5. land — ground
  6. mate — a partner
  7. mate — to breed
  8. bowl — a football final
  9. suit — in cards
  10. land — a country
  11. land — to come down
  12. rush — to hurry
  13. rush — a thrill
  14. bowl — to roll
  15. object — to protest
  16. wound — an injury
  17. arm — part of the body
  18. bowl — a dish
  19. suit — clothes
  20. wound — an injury
  21. arm — part of the body
  22. object — an aim
  23. wound — past of 'wind'
  24. mate — a friend

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