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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 116 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. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  2. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  3. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  4. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  5. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  6. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  7. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  8. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  9. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  10. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  11. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  12. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  13. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  14. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  15. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  16. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  17. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  18. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  19. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  20. The ________________ market has crashed.
  21. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  22. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  23. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  24. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?

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

Answer key

  1. lean — to bend
  2. drill — the tool
  3. object — an aim
  4. trunk — of an elephant
  5. cue — for pool
  6. hide — animal skin
  7. lean — to rest against
  8. trunk — of a car
  9. hide — to keep secret
  10. object — a thing
  11. track — to keep track
  12. hide — to keep secret
  13. cue — a hint
  14. stock — goods
  15. track — a song
  16. drill — army training
  17. trunk — of a tree
  18. cue — a signal
  19. lean — thin
  20. stock — shares
  21. drill — a practice
  22. track — a path
  23. stock — a soup base
  24. object — to protest

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