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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. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  2. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  3. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  4. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  5. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  6. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  7. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  8. What do you think of the new ________________?
  9. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  10. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  11. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  12. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  13. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  14. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  15. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  16. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  17. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  18. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  19. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  20. When will it ________________ you to start?
  21. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  22. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  23. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  24. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.

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

Answer key

  1. mine — an explosive
  2. object — an aim
  3. stick — a piece of wood
  4. snap — to click
  5. stick — a piece of wood
  6. clip — for paper
  7. clip — to cut
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. object — a thing
  11. object — to protest
  12. mine — belonging to me
  13. cabinet — a cupboard
  14. root — the cause
  15. clip — a video
  16. stick — to attach or keep to
  17. suit — in cards
  18. snap — to speak sharply
  19. suit — clothes
  20. suit — to fit
  21. mine — for digging
  22. root — of a word
  23. snap — to snap out of it
  24. root — of a plant

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