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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. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  2. Where did you ________________ them?
  3. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  4. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  5. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  6. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  7. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  8. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  9. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  10. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  11. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  12. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  13. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  14. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  15. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  16. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  17. I'll be taking the ________________.
  18. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  19. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  20. How do you ________________ your surname?
  21. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  22. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  23. That was a fun ________________.
  24. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.

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

Answer key

  1. object — an aim
  2. mug — to rob
  3. toast — the most admired
  4. spell — magic
  5. tube — in a tire
  6. board — to get on
  7. spell — a short time
  8. jam — in traffic
  9. toast — a drink to someone
  10. jam — a tight spot
  11. tube — a container
  12. board — a committee
  13. board — a flat piece
  14. game — wild animals
  15. mug — a face
  16. jam — to spread on bread
  17. tube — the underground
  18. game — a kind of play
  19. mug — a cup
  20. spell — letters
  21. toast — bread
  22. object — to protest
  23. game — a match
  24. object — a thing

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