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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. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  2. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  3. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  4. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  5. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  6. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  7. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  8. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  9. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  10. There's no middle ________________.
  11. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  12. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  13. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  14. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  15. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  16. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  17. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  18. When will it ________________ you to start?
  19. How do you ________________ your surname?
  20. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  21. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  22. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  23. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  24. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.

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

Answer key

  1. object — to protest
  2. ground — the earth
  3. track — a song
  4. object — an aim
  5. object — a thing
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. suit — clothes
  8. tear — to rip
  9. cue — for pool
  10. ground — a position
  11. ground — crushed
  12. track — a path
  13. suit — in cards
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. track — to keep track
  16. tear — from crying
  17. cue — a signal
  18. suit — to fit
  19. spell — letters
  20. cue — a hint
  21. spell — magic
  22. spell — a short time
  23. stick — to attach or keep to
  24. tear — from crying

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