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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. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  3. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  4. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  5. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  6. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  7. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  8. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  9. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  10. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  11. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  12. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  13. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  14. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  15. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  16. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  17. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  18. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  19. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  20. That was a fun ________________.
  21. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  22. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  23. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  24. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.

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

Answer key

  1. object — to protest
  2. rest — what's left
  3. club — for golf
  4. object — an aim
  5. club — for dancing
  6. root — of a word
  7. vault — in gymnastics
  8. fork — to eat with
  9. perch — for a bird
  10. fork — a garden tool
  11. root — the cause
  12. vault — an arched ceiling
  13. rest — what's left
  14. game — wild animals
  15. game — a kind of play
  16. fork — in a road
  17. root — of a plant
  18. perch — for a bird
  19. club — a group
  20. game — a match
  21. rest — a break
  22. vault — a safe
  23. object — a thing
  24. perch — the fish

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