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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 120 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. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  3. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  4. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  5. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  6. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  7. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  8. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  9. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  10. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  11. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  12. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  13. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  14. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  15. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  16. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  17. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  18. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  19. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  20. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  21. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  22. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  23. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  24. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.

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

Answer key

  1. object — a thing
  2. rest — what's left
  3. rule — government
  4. face — part of the head
  5. rest — what's left
  6. rule — to rule out
  7. wax — in the ear
  8. rest — a break
  9. craft — boats
  10. craft — a skill
  11. wax — for sculpting
  12. stick — a piece of wood
  13. craft — a handicraft
  14. object — an aim
  15. chip — in a computer
  16. object — to protest
  17. face — to point toward
  18. chip — for betting
  19. wax — to grow
  20. chip — to eat
  21. rule — a law
  22. face — to confront
  23. stick — a piece of wood
  24. stick — to attach or keep to

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