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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. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  2. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  3. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  4. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  5. We're almost out of ________________.
  6. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  7. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  8. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  9. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  10. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  11. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  12. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  13. When will it ________________ you to start?
  14. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  15. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  16. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  17. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  18. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  19. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  20. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  21. I can't ________________ this cold.
  22. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  23. You don't need to ________________ round.
  24. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. kid — to tease
  2. pop — music
  3. staff — employees
  4. object — a thing
  5. pop — soda
  6. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  7. object — an aim
  8. rock — music
  9. stand — on your feet
  10. staff — employees
  11. squash — the sport
  12. stand — for spectators
  13. suit — to fit
  14. rock — a stone
  15. squash — to crush
  16. object — to protest
  17. rock — to move gently
  18. suit — clothes
  19. suit — in cards
  20. staff — a stick
  21. stand — to bear
  22. squash — the vegetable
  23. pop — to visit
  24. kid — child

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