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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. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  2. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  3. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  4. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  5. The ________________ went through the wall.
  6. When are we going to ________________?
  7. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  8. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  9. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  10. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  11. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  12. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  13. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  14. That must've been a ________________.
  15. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  16. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  17. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  18. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  19. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  20. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  21. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  22. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  23. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  24. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a grade
  2. object — to protest
  3. squash — the vegetable
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. land — to come down
  7. fall — the season
  8. object — a thing
  9. fall — to drop
  10. object — an aim
  11. fan — to cool the air
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. rush — a thrill
  15. squash — the sport
  16. nail — on a finger
  17. fall — to drop
  18. mark — to pay attention
  19. rush — to hurry
  20. mark — a trace
  21. squash — to crush
  22. land — a country
  23. rush — hurry
  24. land — ground

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