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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. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  2. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  3. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  4. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  5. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  6. What do you think of the new ________________?
  7. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  8. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  9. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  10. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  11. He is an ace ________________.
  12. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  13. Where did you ________________ them?
  14. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  15. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  16. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  17. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  18. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  19. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  20. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  21. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  22. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  23. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  24. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fan — to cool the air
  2. spring — a coil
  3. object — a thing
  4. pitcher — a jug
  5. pitcher — a jug
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. fan — a supporter
  8. object — to protest
  9. cabinet — a cupboard
  10. foot — the bottom
  11. pitcher — in baseball
  12. spring — the season
  13. mug — to rob
  14. mug — a cup
  15. firm — decided
  16. firm — steady
  17. foot — part of the body
  18. firm — a company
  19. foot — a measure
  20. spring — of water
  21. cabinet — ministers
  22. fan — a supporter
  23. mug — a face
  24. object — an aim

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