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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. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  3. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  4. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  5. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  6. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  7. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  8. When was this ________________ built?
  9. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  10. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  11. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  12. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  13. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  14. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  15. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  16. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  17. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  18. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  19. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  20. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  21. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  22. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  23. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  24. I'll take my ________________ from you.

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

Answer key

  1. object — a thing
  2. can — to be able to
  3. current — of water
  4. tear — from crying
  5. current — electric
  6. tear — to rip
  7. can — a tin
  8. temple — a place of worship
  9. object — an aim
  10. cue — for pool
  11. mine — for digging
  12. temple — a place of worship
  13. bowl — a dish
  14. mine — belonging to me
  15. mine — an explosive
  16. object — to protest
  17. cue — a signal
  18. current — happening now
  19. tear — from crying
  20. can — a tin
  21. bowl — a football final
  22. bowl — to roll
  23. temple — side of the head
  24. cue — a hint

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