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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. The ________________ went through the wall.
  3. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  4. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  5. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  6. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  7. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  8. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  9. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  10. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  11. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  12. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  13. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  14. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  15. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  16. The tickets are free of ________________.
  17. The King held a masked ________________.
  18. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  19. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  20. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  21. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  22. My mare is ________________ in color.
  23. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  24. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.

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

Answer key

  1. object — a thing
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. rock — music
  4. dip — a sauce
  5. charge — in control
  6. object — an aim
  7. ball — a great time
  8. rock — a stone
  9. bay — a part of the sea
  10. fan — to cool the air
  11. rock — to move gently
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. ball — a round shape
  14. dip — to dunk
  15. nail — on a finger
  16. charge — a price
  17. ball — a dance
  18. bay — to keep at bay
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. object — to protest
  21. charge — electricity
  22. bay — a horse colour
  23. dip — to sink
  24. nail — for a hammer

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