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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. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  2. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  3. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  4. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  5. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  6. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  7. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  8. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  9. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  10. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  11. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  12. I'll be taking the ________________.
  13. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  14. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  15. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  16. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  17. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  18. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  19. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  20. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  21. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  22. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  23. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  24. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — a container
  2. deal — a big deal
  3. firm — decided
  4. fan — a supporter
  5. prune — the fruit
  6. deal — to handle
  7. firm — a company
  8. object — to protest
  9. row — a line
  10. object — a thing
  11. row — a quarrel
  12. tube — the underground
  13. prune — to trim
  14. leaves — of a tree
  15. prune — to trim
  16. fan — to cool the air
  17. leaves — to go away
  18. firm — steady
  19. row — to paddle
  20. tube — in a tire
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. object — an aim
  23. leaves — lets stay
  24. deal — an agreement

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