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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. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  2. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  3. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  4. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  5. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  6. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  7. How do you ________________ your surname?
  8. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  9. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  10. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  11. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  12. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  13. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  14. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  15. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  16. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  17. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  18. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  19. David sat on the ________________.
  20. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  21. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  22. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  23. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  24. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.

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

Answer key

  1. object — an aim
  2. present — there
  3. present — the time now
  4. jam — in traffic
  5. object — a thing
  6. mark — a grade
  7. spell — letters
  8. present — a gift
  9. spell — magic
  10. fan — a supporter
  11. object — to protest
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. ruler — a monarch
  14. spell — a short time
  15. mark — to pay attention
  16. swing — music
  17. jam — to spread on bread
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. swing — to play on
  20. fan — to cool the air
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. jam — a tight spot
  23. mark — a trace
  24. swing — in golf

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