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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 124 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. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  2. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  3. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  4. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  5. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  6. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  7. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  8. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  9. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  10. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  11. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  12. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  13. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  14. That was a fun ________________.
  15. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  16. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  17. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  18. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  19. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  20. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  21. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  22. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  23. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  24. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.

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

Answer key

  1. object — an aim
  2. firm — decided
  3. hand — in cards
  4. cap — of ice
  5. wave — a sudden rise
  6. object — a thing
  7. game — a kind of play
  8. wave — with your hand
  9. wave — of the sea
  10. current — happening now
  11. pit — a hole
  12. hand — help
  13. firm — a company
  14. game — a match
  15. game — wild animals
  16. pit — in a race
  17. cap — a lid
  18. current — of water
  19. hand — part of the body
  20. pit — a fruit stone
  21. object — to protest
  22. firm — steady
  23. current — electric
  24. cap — a hat

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