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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. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  2. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  3. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  4. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  5. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  6. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  7. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  8. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  9. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  10. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  11. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  12. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  13. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  14. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  15. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  16. That was a fun ________________.
  17. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  18. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  19. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  20. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  21. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  22. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  23. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  24. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. object — a thing
  3. foot — part of the body
  4. kick — with a leg
  5. jam — to spread on bread
  6. jam — in traffic
  7. can — a tin
  8. pound — for dogs
  9. capital — a big letter
  10. foot — the bottom
  11. capital — a city
  12. jam — a tight spot
  13. pound — a weight
  14. object — an aim
  15. game — wild animals
  16. game — a match
  17. foot — a measure
  18. kick — in football
  19. object — to protest
  20. pound — to hit hard
  21. can — to be able to
  22. kick — a thrill
  23. game — a kind of play
  24. capital — money

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