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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 120 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 are we going to ________________?
  3. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  4. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  5. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  6. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  7. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  8. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  9. When will it ________________ you to start?
  10. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  11. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  12. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  13. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  14. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  15. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  16. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  17. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  18. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  19. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  20. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  21. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  22. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  23. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  24. He was locked up in a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. object — a thing
  2. land — to come down
  3. kick — in football
  4. cell — a phone
  5. pass — a permit
  6. kick — a thrill
  7. suit — in cards
  8. rule — a law
  9. suit — to fit
  10. bowl — a dish
  11. object — to protest
  12. pass — to succeed
  13. bowl — a football final
  14. suit — clothes
  15. kick — with a leg
  16. land — ground
  17. rule — to rule out
  18. pass — to spend time
  19. land — a country
  20. cell — in biology
  21. bowl — to roll
  22. object — an aim
  23. rule — government
  24. cell — in a prison

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