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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. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  2. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  3. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  4. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  5. The light ________________ burned out.
  6. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  7. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  8. He works in a ________________ mill.
  9. The King held a masked ________________.
  10. She's very handy with a ________________.
  11. Have you met the new head ________________?
  12. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  13. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  14. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  15. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  16. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  17. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  18. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  19. I've got to change the light ________________.
  20. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  21. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  22. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  23. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  24. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.

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

Answer key

  1. can — to be able to
  2. object — a thing
  3. present — there
  4. object — an aim
  5. bulb — for light
  6. can — a tin
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. saw — the tool
  9. ball — a dance
  10. saw — the tool
  11. coach — a trainer
  12. bulb — of a plant
  13. can — a tin
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. lie — to recline
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. object — to protest
  18. coach — pulled by horses
  19. bulb — for light
  20. saw — past of 'see'
  21. ball — a round shape
  22. present — a gift
  23. ball — a great time
  24. present — the time now

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