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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. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  3. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  4. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  5. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  6. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  7. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  8. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  9. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  10. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  11. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  12. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  13. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  14. I've got to change the light ________________.
  15. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  16. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  17. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  18. The light ________________ burned out.
  19. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  20. He works in a ________________ mill.
  21. She's very handy with a ________________.
  22. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  23. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  24. We had a fire ________________ at school today.

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

Answer key

  1. object — a thing
  2. bowl — a dish
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. chip — for betting
  5. bowl — to roll
  6. object — to protest
  7. drill — army training
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. saw — past of 'see'
  10. bulb — of a plant
  11. object — an aim
  12. drill — the tool
  13. safe — a strongbox
  14. bulb — for light
  15. fan — to cool the air
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. chip — in a computer
  18. bulb — for light
  19. chip — to eat
  20. saw — the tool
  21. saw — the tool
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. bowl — a football final
  24. drill — a practice

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