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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. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  3. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  4. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  5. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  6. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  7. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  8. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  9. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  10. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  11. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  12. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  13. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  14. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  15. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  16. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  17. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  18. The ________________ went through the wall.
  19. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  20. Have you met the new head ________________?
  21. It's one o'clock ________________.
  22. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  23. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  24. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.

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

Answer key

  1. object — a thing
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. pit — a fruit stone
  5. object — an aim
  6. calf — of the leg
  7. wound — past of 'wind'
  8. sharp — clever
  9. object — to protest
  10. coach — pulled by horses
  11. coach — a trainer
  12. mouse — for a computer
  13. nail — on a finger
  14. pit — a hole
  15. pit — in a race
  16. wound — an injury
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. coach — a trainer
  21. sharp — exactly
  22. sharp — with an edge
  23. calf — a young animal
  24. wound — an injury

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