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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. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  2. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  3. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  4. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  5. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  6. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  7. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  8. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  9. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  10. What do you think of the new ________________?
  11. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  12. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  13. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  14. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  15. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  16. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  17. I'll be taking the ________________.
  18. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  19. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  20. The tickets are free of ________________.
  21. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  22. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  23. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  24. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.

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

Answer key

  1. object — a thing
  2. drill — a practice
  3. object — an aim
  4. bank — of a river
  5. fork — to eat with
  6. craft — a skill
  7. drill — the tool
  8. charge — in control
  9. craft — a handicraft
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. tube — in a tire
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. charge — electricity
  14. bank — for money
  15. tube — a container
  16. drill — army training
  17. tube — the underground
  18. fork — a garden tool
  19. bank — for money
  20. charge — a price
  21. object — to protest
  22. craft — boats
  23. cabinet — a cupboard
  24. fork — in a road

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