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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. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  2. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  3. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  4. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  5. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  6. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  7. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  8. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  9. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  10. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  11. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  12. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  13. The King held a masked ________________.
  14. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  15. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  16. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  17. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  18. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  19. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  20. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  21. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  22. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  23. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  24. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.

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

Answer key

  1. object — an aim
  2. cap — a lid
  3. kid — to tease
  4. pass — a permit
  5. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  6. foot — the bottom
  7. ball — a great time
  8. foot — a measure
  9. object — to protest
  10. squash — the vegetable
  11. cap — a hat
  12. leaves — to go away
  13. ball — a dance
  14. object — a thing
  15. pass — to succeed
  16. squash — the sport
  17. ball — a round shape
  18. leaves — of a tree
  19. leaves — lets stay
  20. squash — to crush
  21. cap — of ice
  22. kid — child
  23. foot — part of the body
  24. pass — to spend time

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