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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. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  3. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  4. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  5. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  6. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  7. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  8. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  9. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  10. Have you met the new head ________________?
  11. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  12. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  13. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  14. The ________________ market has crashed.
  15. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  16. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  17. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  18. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  19. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  20. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  21. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  22. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  23. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  24. Recycle the empty soda ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. object — a thing
  2. stick — a piece of wood
  3. stick — to attach or keep to
  4. stick — a piece of wood
  5. dip — to sink
  6. object — an aim
  7. stem — a stem cell
  8. dip — to dunk
  9. can — a tin
  10. coach — a trainer
  11. can — to be able to
  12. object — to protest
  13. stem — to come from
  14. stock — shares
  15. stock — a soup base
  16. clip — to cut
  17. coach — a trainer
  18. clip — a video
  19. stem — of a plant
  20. coach — pulled by horses
  21. dip — a sauce
  22. clip — for paper
  23. stock — goods
  24. can — a tin

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