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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. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  2. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  3. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  4. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  5. What do you think of the new ________________?
  6. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  7. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  8. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  9. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  10. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  11. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  12. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  13. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  14. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  15. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  16. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  17. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  18. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  19. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  20. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  21. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  22. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  23. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  24. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?

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

Answer key

  1. object — to protest
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. present — there
  4. fine — high quality
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. object — an aim
  8. hand — in cards
  9. racket — for tennis
  10. racket — a loud noise
  11. racket — for tennis
  12. lie — to recline
  13. hand — part of the body
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. fine — all right
  16. object — a thing
  17. drill — army training
  18. present — the time now
  19. cabinet — a cupboard
  20. drill — the tool
  21. drill — a practice
  22. fine — a penalty
  23. hand — help
  24. present — a gift

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