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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. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  2. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  3. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  4. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  5. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  6. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  7. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  8. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  9. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  10. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  11. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  12. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  13. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  14. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  15. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  16. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  17. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  18. We're on a ________________ here.
  19. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  20. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  21. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  22. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  23. That must've been a ________________.
  24. The polar ice ________________ is melting.

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

Answer key

  1. object — a thing
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. cap — a lid
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. object — an aim
  6. fan — to cool the air
  7. roll — a cake
  8. mouse — for a computer
  9. roll — a list
  10. fan — a supporter
  11. stick — to attach or keep to
  12. stick — a piece of wood
  13. cap — a hat
  14. lie — to recline
  15. rush — to hurry
  16. rush — hurry
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. roll — on a roll
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. object — to protest
  21. stick — a piece of wood
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. rush — a thrill
  24. cap — of ice

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