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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. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  3. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  4. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  5. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  6. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  7. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  8. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  9. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  10. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  11. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  12. When will it ________________ you to start?
  13. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  14. He is an ace ________________.
  15. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  16. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  17. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  18. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  19. What do you think of the new ________________?
  20. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  21. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  22. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  23. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  24. I would like to have a ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. object — an aim
  2. rest — what's left
  3. suit — in cards
  4. wind — moving air
  5. can — to be able to
  6. can — a tin
  7. object — a thing
  8. wind — to turn a key
  9. wind — moving air
  10. chair — a professorship
  11. rest — what's left
  12. suit — to fit
  13. object — to protest
  14. pitcher — in baseball
  15. chair — a leader
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. suit — clothes
  18. can — a tin
  19. cabinet — ministers
  20. pitcher — a jug
  21. cabinet — a cupboard
  22. chair — to sit on
  23. pitcher — a jug
  24. rest — a break

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