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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. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  3. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  4. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  5. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  6. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  7. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  8. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  9. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  10. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  11. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  12. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  13. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  14. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  15. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  16. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  17. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  18. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  19. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  20. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  21. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  22. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  23. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  24. There's no middle ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. object — a thing
  2. fall — to drop
  3. fall — the season
  4. rest — a break
  5. content — the amount
  6. object — an aim
  7. hand — help
  8. bear — the animal
  9. fine — high quality
  10. content — happy
  11. rest — what's left
  12. bear — the animal
  13. object — to protest
  14. rest — what's left
  15. fine — a penalty
  16. hand — in cards
  17. ground — the earth
  18. fall — to drop
  19. hand — part of the body
  20. ground — crushed
  21. content — videos and posts
  22. bear — to put up with
  23. fine — all right
  24. ground — a position

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