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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. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  2. The tickets are free of ________________.
  3. I'll be taking the ________________.
  4. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  5. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  6. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  7. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  8. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  9. He is an ace ________________.
  10. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  11. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  12. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  13. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  14. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  15. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  16. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  17. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  18. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  19. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  20. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  21. I can't ________________ this cold.
  22. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  23. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  24. He took the fish out of the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. object — a thing
  2. charge — a price
  3. tube — the underground
  4. net — after costs
  5. tube — in a tire
  6. stand — on your feet
  7. rule — a law
  8. stand — for spectators
  9. pitcher — in baseball
  10. calf — of the leg
  11. pitcher — a jug
  12. charge — in control
  13. pitcher — a jug
  14. rule — to rule out
  15. tube — a container
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. net — in sport
  18. charge — electricity
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. object — an aim
  21. stand — to bear
  22. object — to protest
  23. rule — government
  24. net — for catching

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