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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 116 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. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  2. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  3. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  4. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  5. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  6. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  7. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  8. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  9. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  10. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  11. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  12. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  13. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  14. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  15. When are we going to ________________?
  16. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  17. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  18. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  19. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  20. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  21. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  22. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  23. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  24. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. object — an aim
  3. mark — a grade
  4. land — a country
  5. bear — the animal
  6. land — ground
  7. board — a flat piece
  8. craft — a handicraft
  9. craft — boats
  10. object — to protest
  11. kick — with a leg
  12. vault — a safe
  13. mark — a trace
  14. board — a committee
  15. land — to come down
  16. vault — an arched ceiling
  17. kick — a thrill
  18. kick — in football
  19. vault — in gymnastics
  20. bear — to put up with
  21. board — to get on
  22. mark — to pay attention
  23. craft — a skill
  24. object — a thing

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