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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. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  3. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  4. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  5. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  6. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  7. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  8. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  9. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  10. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  11. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  12. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  13. The King held a masked ________________.
  14. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  15. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  16. Where did you ________________ them?
  17. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  18. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  19. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  20. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  21. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  22. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  23. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  24. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.

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

Answer key

  1. object — a thing
  2. racket — a loud noise
  3. fall — the season
  4. staff — employees
  5. pit — a fruit stone
  6. pit — in a race
  7. object — an aim
  8. object — to protest
  9. bear — the animal
  10. pit — a hole
  11. mug — a cup
  12. ball — a round shape
  13. ball — a dance
  14. bear — to put up with
  15. fall — to drop
  16. mug — to rob
  17. bear — the animal
  18. mug — a face
  19. staff — a stick
  20. ball — a great time
  21. staff — employees
  22. racket — for tennis
  23. fall — to drop
  24. racket — for tennis

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