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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. That was a fun ________________.
  3. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  4. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  5. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  6. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  7. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  8. Did you ________________ the meat?
  9. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  10. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  11. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  12. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  13. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  14. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  15. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  16. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  17. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  18. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  19. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  20. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  21. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  22. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  23. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  24. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.

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

Answer key

  1. object — a thing
  2. game — a match
  3. object — to protest
  4. season — of the year
  5. trunk — of a car
  6. game — a kind of play
  7. pitch — completely
  8. season — to add flavour
  9. season — in sport
  10. ruler — a monarch
  11. game — wild animals
  12. fork — a garden tool
  13. pitch — a sales talk
  14. can — to be able to
  15. can — a tin
  16. fork — to eat with
  17. can — a tin
  18. trunk — of a tree
  19. fork — in a road
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. pitch — a sports field
  22. object — an aim
  23. trunk — of an elephant
  24. ruler — for measuring

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