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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. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  3. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  4. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  5. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  6. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  7. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  8. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  9. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  10. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  11. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  12. There's no middle ________________.
  13. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  14. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  15. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  16. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  17. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  18. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  19. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  20. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  21. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  22. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  23. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  24. Beijing is the ________________ of China.

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

Answer key

  1. object — a thing
  2. ground — the earth
  3. kick — in football
  4. stick — a piece of wood
  5. capital — money
  6. object — to protest
  7. stick — to attach or keep to
  8. board — a flat piece
  9. bark — a dog's sound
  10. perch — the fish
  11. bark — to shout
  12. ground — a position
  13. board — a committee
  14. board — to get on
  15. bark — of a tree
  16. perch — for a bird
  17. kick — a thrill
  18. kick — with a leg
  19. stick — a piece of wood
  20. object — an aim
  21. ground — crushed
  22. capital — a big letter
  23. perch — for a bird
  24. capital — a city

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