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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. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  3. The light ________________ burned out.
  4. I've got to change the light ________________.
  5. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  6. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  7. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  8. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  9. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  10. She's very handy with a ________________.
  11. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  12. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  13. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  14. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  15. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  16. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  17. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  18. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  19. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  20. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  21. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  22. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  23. He works in a ________________ mill.
  24. I have a corn on my right ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. object — a thing
  2. board — a committee
  3. bulb — for light
  4. bulb — for light
  5. deal — an agreement
  6. object — an aim
  7. foot — the bottom
  8. deal — to handle
  9. fork — in a road
  10. saw — the tool
  11. content — the amount
  12. deal — a big deal
  13. bulb — of a plant
  14. board — a flat piece
  15. saw — past of 'see'
  16. content — videos and posts
  17. board — to get on
  18. foot — a measure
  19. content — happy
  20. object — to protest
  21. fork — to eat with
  22. fork — a garden tool
  23. saw — the tool
  24. foot — part of the body

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