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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. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  2. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  3. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  4. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  5. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  6. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  7. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  8. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  9. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  10. The King held a masked ________________.
  11. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  12. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  13. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  14. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  15. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  16. That was a fun ________________.
  17. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  18. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  19. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  20. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  21. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  22. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  23. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  24. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — what's left
  2. toast — bread
  3. chest — of your body
  4. chest — a box
  5. firm — a company
  6. ball — a round shape
  7. object — a thing
  8. board — to get on
  9. firm — decided
  10. ball — a dance
  11. ball — a great time
  12. object — to protest
  13. game — a kind of play
  14. toast — the most admired
  15. rest — what's left
  16. game — a match
  17. firm — steady
  18. object — an aim
  19. board — a committee
  20. toast — a drink to someone
  21. game — wild animals
  22. board — a flat piece
  23. rest — a break
  24. chest — of your body

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