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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. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  2. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  3. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  4. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  5. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  6. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  7. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  8. When are we going to ________________?
  9. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  10. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  11. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  12. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  13. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  14. When will it ________________ you to start?
  15. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  16. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  17. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  18. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  19. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  20. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  21. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  22. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  23. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  24. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?

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

Answer key

  1. suit — in cards
  2. object — an aim
  3. stem — of a plant
  4. stick — to attach or keep to
  5. file — a document
  6. object — a thing
  7. land — ground
  8. land — to come down
  9. wound — an injury
  10. file — a tool
  11. land — a country
  12. wound — past of 'wind'
  13. deal — a big deal
  14. suit — to fit
  15. stem — a stem cell
  16. suit — clothes
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. wound — an injury
  20. file — a line of people
  21. deal — to handle
  22. stem — to come from
  23. deal — an agreement
  24. object — to protest

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