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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. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  2. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  3. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  4. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  5. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  6. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  7. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  8. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  9. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  10. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  11. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  12. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  13. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  14. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  15. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  16. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  17. She's very handy with a ________________.
  18. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  19. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  20. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  21. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  22. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  23. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  24. He works in a ________________ mill.

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

Answer key

  1. object — to protest
  2. object — an aim
  3. fine — high quality
  4. net — for catching
  5. bass — low music
  6. chip — in a computer
  7. net — in sport
  8. bass — the instrument
  9. saw — past of 'see'
  10. fine — all right
  11. chip — for betting
  12. fine — a penalty
  13. pit — a fruit stone
  14. chip — to eat
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. net — after costs
  17. saw — the tool
  18. fan — to cool the air
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. pit — a hole
  21. bass — the fish
  22. object — a thing
  23. pit — in a race
  24. saw — the tool

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