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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. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  2. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  3. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  4. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  5. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  6. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  7. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  8. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  9. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  10. The King held a masked ________________.
  11. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  12. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  13. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  14. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  15. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  16. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  17. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  18. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  19. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  20. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  21. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  22. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  23. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  24. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.

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

Answer key

  1. object — an aim
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. lie — to recline
  4. object — a thing
  5. straw — dry grass
  6. object — to protest
  7. chip — in a computer
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. straw — to clutch at straws
  10. ball — a dance
  11. chip — for betting
  12. ball — a great time
  13. shower — a meteor shower
  14. mark — a trace
  15. branch — of a bank
  16. ball — a round shape
  17. shower — rain
  18. mark — to pay attention
  19. branch — a division
  20. chip — to eat
  21. branch — of a tree
  22. mark — a grade
  23. shower — to wash
  24. straw — a straw man

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