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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. Don't do anything ________________.
  3. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  4. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  5. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  6. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  7. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  8. When will it ________________ you to start?
  9. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  10. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  11. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  12. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  13. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  14. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  15. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  16. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  17. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  18. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  19. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  20. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  21. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  22. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  23. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  24. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.

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

Answer key

  1. object — a thing
  2. rash — hasty
  3. suit — in cards
  4. clip — a video
  5. tear — from crying
  6. chip — in a computer
  7. chip — for betting
  8. suit — to fit
  9. rash — a series
  10. tear — to rip
  11. mark — a trace
  12. rock — music
  13. object — to protest
  14. tear — from crying
  15. rock — to move gently
  16. rock — a stone
  17. clip — for paper
  18. object — an aim
  19. suit — clothes
  20. chip — to eat
  21. mark — a grade
  22. clip — to cut
  23. rash — on the skin
  24. mark — to pay attention

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