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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. When are we going to ________________?
  2. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  3. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  4. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  5. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  6. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  7. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  8. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  9. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  10. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  11. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  12. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  13. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  14. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  15. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  16. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  17. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  18. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  19. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  20. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  21. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  22. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  23. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  24. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.

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

Answer key

  1. land — to come down
  2. toast — a drink to someone
  3. object — a thing
  4. hide — to keep secret
  5. land — a country
  6. pit — in a race
  7. toast — bread
  8. hide — animal skin
  9. toast — the most admired
  10. rest — what's left
  11. pit — a hole
  12. land — ground
  13. object — to protest
  14. fine — all right
  15. hide — to keep secret
  16. rest — a break
  17. pit — a fruit stone
  18. pitch — a sports field
  19. pitch — a sales talk
  20. object — an aim
  21. fine — a penalty
  22. pitch — completely
  23. rest — what's left
  24. fine — high quality

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