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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. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  2. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  3. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  4. I'll be taking the ________________.
  5. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  6. This piece is in a major ________________.
  7. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  8. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  9. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  10. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  11. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  12. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  13. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  14. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  15. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  16. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  17. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  18. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  19. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  20. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  21. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  22. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  23. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  24. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.

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

Answer key

  1. object — to protest
  2. dip — to dunk
  3. tube — in a tire
  4. tube — the underground
  5. key — the most important part
  6. key — in music
  7. dip — to sink
  8. ruler — a monarch
  9. rule — government
  10. present — a gift
  11. wind — to turn a key
  12. tube — a container
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. key — for a lock
  15. present — the time now
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. object — an aim
  18. dip — a sauce
  19. present — there
  20. rule — to rule out
  21. wind — moving air
  22. rule — a law
  23. wind — moving air
  24. object — a thing

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