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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. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  3. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  4. When are we going to ________________?
  5. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  6. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  7. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  8. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  9. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  10. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  11. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  12. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  13. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  14. We're on a ________________ here.
  15. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  16. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  17. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  18. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  19. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  20. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  21. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  22. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  23. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  24. How do you ________________ your surname?

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

Answer key

  1. object — a thing
  2. roll — a cake
  3. wake — a trail
  4. land — to come down
  5. staff — a stick
  6. spell — a short time
  7. staff — employees
  8. roll — a list
  9. object — an aim
  10. land — a country
  11. jam — a tight spot
  12. club — for dancing
  13. jam — to spread on bread
  14. roll — on a roll
  15. land — ground
  16. object — to protest
  17. spell — magic
  18. wake — to stop sleeping
  19. club — a group
  20. staff — employees
  21. club — for golf
  22. jam — in traffic
  23. wake — before a funeral
  24. spell — letters

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