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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. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  2. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  3. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  4. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  5. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  6. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  7. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  8. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  9. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  10. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  11. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  12. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  13. The tickets are free of ________________.
  14. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  15. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  16. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  17. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  18. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  19. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  20. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  21. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  22. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  23. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  24. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.

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

Answer key

  1. object — a thing
  2. object — to protest
  3. present — the time now
  4. charge — in control
  5. snap — to speak sharply
  6. lash — to lash out
  7. tear — from crying
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. lash — a whip stroke
  11. present — a gift
  12. snap — to snap out of it
  13. charge — a price
  14. lash — an eyelash
  15. root — of a word
  16. object — an aim
  17. safe — a strongbox
  18. root — the cause
  19. tear — from crying
  20. charge — electricity
  21. present — there
  22. snap — to click
  23. root — of a plant
  24. tear — to rip

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