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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. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  3. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  4. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  5. Have you found your soul ________________?
  6. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  7. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  8. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  9. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  10. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  11. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  12. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  13. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  14. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  15. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  16. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  17. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  18. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  19. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  20. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  21. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  22. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  23. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  24. I can't ________________ this cold.

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

Answer key

  1. object — a thing
  2. lean — to bend
  3. mate — a friend
  4. shower — rain
  5. mate — a partner
  6. mark — a trace
  7. can — a tin
  8. stand — on your feet
  9. shower — to wash
  10. mark — a grade
  11. wound — past of 'wind'
  12. mark — to pay attention
  13. wound — an injury
  14. can — a tin
  15. mate — to breed
  16. can — to be able to
  17. stand — for spectators
  18. object — an aim
  19. object — to protest
  20. lean — thin
  21. wound — an injury
  22. lean — to rest against
  23. shower — a meteor shower
  24. stand — to bear

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