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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. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  3. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  4. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  5. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  6. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  7. The ball is in your ________________.
  8. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  9. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  10. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  11. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  12. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  13. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  14. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  15. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  16. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  17. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  18. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  19. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  20. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  21. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  22. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  23. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  24. He is as ________________ as a wolf.

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

Answer key

  1. object — an aim
  2. can — a tin
  3. hand — help
  4. object — a thing
  5. root — of a word
  6. root — of a plant
  7. court — for sport
  8. rock — a stone
  9. wound — past of 'wind'
  10. court — of law
  11. hand — in cards
  12. court — of a king
  13. rock — to move gently
  14. lean — to rest against
  15. can — a tin
  16. rock — music
  17. object — to protest
  18. hand — part of the body
  19. wound — an injury
  20. root — the cause
  21. wound — an injury
  22. can — to be able to
  23. lean — to bend
  24. lean — thin

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