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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. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  2. Have you settled on a ________________?
  3. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  4. Where did you ________________ them?
  5. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  6. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  7. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  8. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  9. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  10. He works in a ________________ mill.
  11. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  12. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  13. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  14. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  15. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  16. She's very handy with a ________________.
  17. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  18. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  19. Have you found your soul ________________?
  20. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  21. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  22. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  23. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  24. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.

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

Answer key

  1. object — a thing
  2. date — on the calendar
  3. date — on the calendar
  4. mug — to rob
  5. can — to be able to
  6. mate — to breed
  7. mug — a cup
  8. net — in sport
  9. object — an aim
  10. saw — the tool
  11. net — after costs
  12. mate — a friend
  13. net — for catching
  14. can — a tin
  15. can — a tin
  16. saw — the tool
  17. mug — a face
  18. lean — to rest against
  19. mate — a partner
  20. saw — past of 'see'
  21. date — the fruit
  22. lean — thin
  23. object — to protest
  24. lean — to bend

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