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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. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  3. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  4. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  5. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  6. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  7. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  8. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  9. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  10. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  11. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  12. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  13. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  14. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  15. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  16. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  17. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  18. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  19. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  20. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  21. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  22. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  23. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  24. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.

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

Answer key

  1. object — an aim
  2. fine — high quality
  3. fork — a garden tool
  4. band — a music group
  5. rock — a stone
  6. band — a rubber band
  7. chip — to eat
  8. fine — all right
  9. chip — in a computer
  10. object — a thing
  11. lash — a whip stroke
  12. lash — an eyelash
  13. fork — in a road
  14. object — to protest
  15. fine — a penalty
  16. chip — for betting
  17. bear — the animal
  18. bear — to put up with
  19. lash — to lash out
  20. rock — music
  21. rock — to move gently
  22. bear — the animal
  23. band — a ring
  24. fork — to eat with

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