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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. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  2. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  3. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  4. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  5. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  6. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  7. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  8. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  9. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  10. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  11. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  12. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  13. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  14. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  15. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  16. The King held a masked ________________.
  17. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  18. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  19. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  20. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  21. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  22. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  23. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  24. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. object — a thing
  2. rule — government
  3. dip — a sauce
  4. ball — a round shape
  5. leaves — lets stay
  6. leaves — of a tree
  7. chair — a leader
  8. rock — music
  9. rule — a law
  10. chair — a professorship
  11. leaves — to go away
  12. rule — to rule out
  13. object — an aim
  14. ball — a great time
  15. dip — to sink
  16. ball — a dance
  17. rock — to move gently
  18. dip — to dunk
  19. rock — a stone
  20. object — to protest
  21. pound — a weight
  22. pound — to hit hard
  23. pound — for dogs
  24. chair — to sit on

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