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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. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  2. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  3. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  4. You don't need to ________________ round.
  5. We're almost out of ________________.
  6. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  7. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  8. The King held a masked ________________.
  9. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  10. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  11. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  12. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  13. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  14. When will it ________________ you to start?
  15. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  16. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  17. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  18. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  19. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  20. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  21. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  22. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  23. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  24. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.

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

Answer key

  1. object — an aim
  2. ball — a round shape
  3. foot — part of the body
  4. pop — to visit
  5. pop — soda
  6. object — to protest
  7. deal — to handle
  8. ball — a dance
  9. deal — an agreement
  10. fan — a supporter
  11. suit — in cards
  12. fan — to cool the air
  13. object — a thing
  14. suit — to fit
  15. leaves — lets stay
  16. leaves — to go away
  17. leaves — of a tree
  18. pop — music
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. foot — a measure
  21. deal — a big deal
  22. foot — the bottom
  23. suit — clothes
  24. ball — a great time

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