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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 120 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 pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  3. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  4. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  5. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  6. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  7. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  8. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  9. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  10. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  11. That was ________________ to happen.
  12. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  13. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  14. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  15. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  16. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  17. That was a fun ________________.
  18. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  19. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  20. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  21. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  22. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  23. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  24. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.

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

Answer key

  1. object — a thing
  2. game — wild animals
  3. kid — to tease
  4. kid — child
  5. bound — obliged
  6. branch — a division
  7. branch — of a tree
  8. firm — steady
  9. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  10. current — happening now
  11. bound — certain
  12. object — an aim
  13. game — a kind of play
  14. root — of a plant
  15. firm — a company
  16. bound — tied together
  17. game — a match
  18. branch — of a bank
  19. current — of water
  20. root — the cause
  21. current — electric
  22. root — of a word
  23. object — to protest
  24. firm — decided

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