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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. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  2. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  3. He works in a ________________ mill.
  4. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  5. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  6. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  7. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  8. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  9. She's very handy with a ________________.
  10. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  11. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  12. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  13. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  14. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  15. Did you ________________ the meat?
  16. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  17. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  18. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  19. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  20. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  21. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  22. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  23. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  24. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. object — an aim
  2. march — the month
  3. saw — the tool
  4. object — to protest
  5. pit — a hole
  6. season — of the year
  7. stick — to attach or keep to
  8. chip — for betting
  9. saw — the tool
  10. chip — to eat
  11. stick — a piece of wood
  12. saw — past of 'see'
  13. march — the month
  14. mine — an explosive
  15. season — to add flavour
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. mine — belonging to me
  18. pit — a fruit stone
  19. march — music
  20. object — a thing
  21. pit — in a race
  22. mine — for digging
  23. chip — in a computer
  24. season — in sport

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