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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. I'll be taking the ________________.
  2. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  3. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  4. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  5. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  6. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  7. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  8. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  9. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  10. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  11. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  12. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  13. I've got to change the light ________________.
  14. The light ________________ burned out.
  15. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  16. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  17. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  18. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  19. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  20. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  21. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  22. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  23. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  24. When will it ________________ you to start?

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

Answer key

  1. tube — the underground
  2. chair — a professorship
  3. can — a tin
  4. object — an aim
  5. stick — a piece of wood
  6. suit — in cards
  7. can — to be able to
  8. tube — a container
  9. can — a tin
  10. tube — in a tire
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. bulb — of a plant
  13. bulb — for light
  14. bulb — for light
  15. stick — to attach or keep to
  16. object — a thing
  17. chair — a leader
  18. suit — clothes
  19. chair — to sit on
  20. object — to protest
  21. calf — of the leg
  22. stick — a piece of wood
  23. calf — a young animal
  24. suit — to fit

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