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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. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  3. Have you met the new head ________________?
  4. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  5. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  6. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  7. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  8. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  9. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  10. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  11. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  12. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  13. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  14. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  15. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  16. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  17. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  18. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  19. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  20. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  21. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  22. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  23. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  24. Can you turn the ________________ on?

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

Answer key

  1. object — to protest
  2. net — after costs
  3. coach — a trainer
  4. craft — a skill
  5. cap — a lid
  6. fan — a supporter
  7. craft — boats
  8. track — a path
  9. net — for catching
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. track — to keep track
  12. ruler — a monarch
  13. cap — of ice
  14. object — an aim
  15. net — in sport
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. object — a thing
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. craft — a handicraft
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. track — a song
  22. coach — pulled by horses
  23. cap — a hat
  24. fan — to cool the air

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