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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. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  3. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  4. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  5. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  6. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  7. My father caught me by the ________________.
  8. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  9. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  10. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  11. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  12. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  13. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  14. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  15. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  16. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  17. I'll be taking the ________________.
  18. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  19. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  20. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  21. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  22. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  23. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  24. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.

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

Answer key

  1. object — a thing
  2. wake — a trail
  3. arm — a part of something
  4. content — the amount
  5. clip — for paper
  6. clip — to cut
  7. arm — part of the body
  8. object — to protest
  9. tube — in a tire
  10. arm — part of the body
  11. board — a flat piece
  12. content — happy
  13. board — a committee
  14. wake — to stop sleeping
  15. content — videos and posts
  16. can — a tin
  17. tube — the underground
  18. can — a tin
  19. clip — a video
  20. object — an aim
  21. tube — a container
  22. can — to be able to
  23. wake — before a funeral
  24. board — to get 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