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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 116 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. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  3. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  4. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  5. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  6. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  7. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  8. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  9. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  10. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  11. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  12. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  13. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  14. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  15. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  16. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  17. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  18. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  19. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  20. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  21. He is an ace ________________.
  22. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  23. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  24. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?

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

Answer key

  1. object — a thing
  2. lie — to recline
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. pitcher — a jug
  5. pound — for dogs
  6. object — an aim
  7. pitcher — a jug
  8. rock — music
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. net — after costs
  11. pound — a weight
  12. fall — to drop
  13. rock — a stone
  14. fall — to drop
  15. degree — temperature
  16. fall — the season
  17. net — in sport
  18. degree — from a university
  19. net — for catching
  20. degree — an amount
  21. pitcher — in baseball
  22. pound — to hit hard
  23. rock — to move gently
  24. object — to protest

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