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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. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  3. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  4. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  5. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  6. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  7. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  8. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  9. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  10. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  11. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  12. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  13. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  14. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  15. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  16. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  17. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  18. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  19. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  20. That must've been a ________________.
  21. The King held a masked ________________.
  22. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  23. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  24. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?

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

Answer key

  1. object — a thing
  2. ball — a round shape
  3. march — the month
  4. file — a document
  5. rush — hurry
  6. wave — a sudden rise
  7. lie — to recline
  8. object — an aim
  9. file — a line of people
  10. ball — a great time
  11. rush — to hurry
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. wave — of the sea
  14. march — music
  15. march — the month
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. file — a tool
  18. wave — with your hand
  19. wound — an injury
  20. rush — a thrill
  21. ball — a dance
  22. wound — past of 'wind'
  23. wound — an injury
  24. object — to protest

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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