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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. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  2. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  3. When will it ________________ you to start?
  4. There's no middle ________________.
  5. The ball is in your ________________.
  6. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  7. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  8. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  9. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  10. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  11. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  12. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  13. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  14. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  15. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  16. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  17. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  18. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  19. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  20. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  21. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  22. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  23. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  24. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. object — to protest
  2. object — an aim
  3. suit — to fit
  4. ground — a position
  5. court — for sport
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. rule — to rule out
  8. object — a thing
  9. stem — a stem cell
  10. court — of a king
  11. safe — a strongbox
  12. suit — clothes
  13. stem — to come from
  14. court — of law
  15. rule — a law
  16. stick — to attach or keep to
  17. ground — the earth
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. suit — in cards
  20. safe — out of danger
  21. rule — government
  22. stick — a piece of wood
  23. ground — crushed
  24. stem — of a plant

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