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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. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  2. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  3. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  4. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  5. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  6. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  7. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  8. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  9. He is an ace ________________.
  10. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  11. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  12. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  13. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  14. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  15. He works in a ________________ mill.
  16. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  17. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  18. Have you found your soul ________________?
  19. She's very handy with a ________________.
  20. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  21. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  22. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  23. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  24. I have a corn on my right ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. object — a thing
  2. object — an aim
  3. foot — a measure
  4. bark — to shout
  5. pitch — a sales talk
  6. bark — of a tree
  7. bark — a dog's sound
  8. pitch — completely
  9. pitcher — in baseball
  10. mate — to breed
  11. bass — low music
  12. object — to protest
  13. foot — the bottom
  14. bass — the instrument
  15. saw — the tool
  16. saw — past of 'see'
  17. pitcher — a jug
  18. mate — a partner
  19. saw — the tool
  20. bass — the fish
  21. mate — a friend
  22. pitch — a sports field
  23. pitcher — a jug
  24. foot — part of the body

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