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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. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  2. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  3. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  4. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  5. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  6. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  7. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  8. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  9. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  10. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  11. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  12. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  13. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  14. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  15. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  16. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  17. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  18. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  19. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  20. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  21. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  22. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  23. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  24. ________________ you help me carry this box?

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

Answer key

  1. object — a thing
  2. bat — in an idiom
  3. object — to protest
  4. lean — thin
  5. club — for golf
  6. bat — the animal
  7. bass — the instrument
  8. lean — to bend
  9. bass — the fish
  10. shower — rain
  11. bat — for baseball
  12. club — a group
  13. shower — a meteor shower
  14. ruler — a monarch
  15. shower — to wash
  16. club — for dancing
  17. can — a tin
  18. bass — low music
  19. can — a tin
  20. lean — to rest against
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. object — an aim
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. can — to be able to

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