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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. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  2. When will it ________________ you to start?
  3. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  4. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  5. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  6. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  7. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  8. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  9. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  10. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  11. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  12. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  13. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  14. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  15. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  16. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  17. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  18. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  19. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  20. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  21. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  22. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  23. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  24. What do you think of the new ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. object — an aim
  2. suit — to fit
  3. object — a thing
  4. suit — in cards
  5. bass — the fish
  6. pass — to succeed
  7. object — to protest
  8. degree — from a university
  9. degree — an amount
  10. deal — to handle
  11. bass — the instrument
  12. mouse — for a computer
  13. degree — temperature
  14. deal — an agreement
  15. pass — to spend time
  16. deal — a big deal
  17. cabinet — ministers
  18. pass — a permit
  19. cabinet — a cupboard
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. suit — clothes
  22. bass — low music
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. cabinet — ministers

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