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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. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  2. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  3. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  4. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  5. I'll be taking the ________________.
  6. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  7. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  8. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  9. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  10. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  11. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  12. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  13. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  14. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  15. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  16. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  17. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  18. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  19. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  20. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  21. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  22. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  23. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  24. Can you turn the ________________ on?

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

Answer key

  1. object — an aim
  2. foot — a measure
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. fan — a supporter
  5. tube — the underground
  6. cue — a hint
  7. current — of water
  8. current — electric
  9. cue — a signal
  10. tube — a container
  11. object — a thing
  12. lie — to recline
  13. cue — for pool
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. foot — the bottom
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. object — to protest
  18. stick — to attach or keep to
  19. stick — a piece of wood
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. current — happening now
  22. tube — in a tire
  23. foot — part of the body
  24. fan — to cool the air

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