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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 116 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. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  2. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  3. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  4. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  5. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  6. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  7. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  8. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  9. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  10. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  11. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  12. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  13. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  14. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  15. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  16. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  17. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  18. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  19. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  20. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  21. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  22. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  23. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  24. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — a hole
  2. firm — a company
  3. firm — decided
  4. track — a path
  5. object — an aim
  6. bowl — to roll
  7. mark — a trace
  8. pit — a fruit stone
  9. object — to protest
  10. net — in sport
  11. root — of a plant
  12. mark — to pay attention
  13. bowl — a football final
  14. root — of a word
  15. net — for catching
  16. firm — steady
  17. track — to keep track
  18. pit — in a race
  19. net — after costs
  20. root — the cause
  21. mark — a grade
  22. track — a song
  23. object — a thing
  24. bowl — a dish

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