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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 120 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. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  3. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  4. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  5. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  6. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  7. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  8. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  9. The ________________ market has crashed.
  10. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  11. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  12. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  13. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  14. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  15. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  16. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  17. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  18. The ________________ went through the wall.
  19. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  20. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  21. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  22. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  23. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  24. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.

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

Answer key

  1. object — a thing
  2. object — an aim
  3. shower — rain
  4. craft — boats
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. rest — a break
  7. stock — goods
  8. wave — of the sea
  9. stock — shares
  10. craft — a handicraft
  11. object — to protest
  12. kick — a thrill
  13. shower — to wash
  14. craft — a skill
  15. stock — a soup base
  16. wave — a sudden rise
  17. rest — what's left
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. kick — in football
  20. wave — with your hand
  21. shower — a meteor shower
  22. kick — with a leg
  23. rest — what's left
  24. nail — on a finger

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