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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. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  3. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  4. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  5. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  6. Don't do anything ________________.
  7. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  8. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  9. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  10. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  11. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  12. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  13. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  14. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  15. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  16. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  17. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  18. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  19. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  20. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  21. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  22. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  23. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  24. I got dealt a bad ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. object — a thing
  2. dip — to dunk
  3. march — the month
  4. toast — the most admired
  5. object — an aim
  6. rash — hasty
  7. toast — a drink to someone
  8. hand — part of the body
  9. march — music
  10. deal — a big deal
  11. rash — on the skin
  12. march — the month
  13. hand — help
  14. lean — thin
  15. lean — to bend
  16. deal — to handle
  17. dip — to sink
  18. lean — to rest against
  19. rash — a series
  20. dip — a sauce
  21. object — to protest
  22. deal — an agreement
  23. toast — bread
  24. hand — in cards

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