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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. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  2. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  3. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  4. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  5. I've got to change the light ________________.
  6. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  7. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  8. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  9. The light ________________ burned out.
  10. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  11. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  12. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  13. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  14. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  15. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  16. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  17. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  18. When will it ________________ you to start?
  19. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  20. Have you met the new head ________________?
  21. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  22. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  23. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  24. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.

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

Answer key

  1. object — a thing
  2. bat — the animal
  3. suit — clothes
  4. march — the month
  5. bulb — for light
  6. fork — a garden tool
  7. bulb — of a plant
  8. track — a song
  9. bulb — for light
  10. march — music
  11. fork — to eat with
  12. march — the month
  13. fork — in a road
  14. suit — in cards
  15. bat — in an idiom
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. track — to keep track
  18. suit — to fit
  19. coach — pulled by horses
  20. coach — a trainer
  21. track — a path
  22. object — to protest
  23. object — an aim
  24. bat — for baseball

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