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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. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  2. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  3. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  4. When will it ________________ you to start?
  5. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  6. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  7. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  8. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  9. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  10. We're on a ________________ here.
  11. That was a fun ________________.
  12. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  13. We're almost out of ________________.
  14. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  15. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  16. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  17. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  18. You don't need to ________________ round.
  19. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  20. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  21. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  22. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  23. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  24. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?

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

Answer key

  1. stick — a piece of wood
  2. roll — a list
  3. object — an aim
  4. suit — to fit
  5. object — a thing
  6. roll — a cake
  7. game — wild animals
  8. trunk — of a car
  9. suit — clothes
  10. roll — on a roll
  11. game — a match
  12. stick — a piece of wood
  13. pop — soda
  14. stick — to attach or keep to
  15. ruler — a monarch
  16. trunk — of an elephant
  17. suit — in cards
  18. pop — to visit
  19. pop — music
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. game — a kind of play
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. trunk — of a tree
  24. object — to protest

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