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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. The ________________ went through the wall.
  3. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  4. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  5. Don't do anything ________________.
  6. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  7. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  8. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  9. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  10. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  11. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  12. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  13. The light ________________ burned out.
  14. I've got to change the light ________________.
  15. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  16. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  17. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  18. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  19. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  20. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  21. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  22. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  23. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  24. Where did you ________________ them?

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

Answer key

  1. object — an aim
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. object — to protest
  4. object — a thing
  5. rash — hasty
  6. capital — a big letter
  7. rash — a series
  8. mug — a cup
  9. capital — a city
  10. bulb — of a plant
  11. chair — to sit on
  12. mug — a face
  13. bulb — for light
  14. bulb — for light
  15. track — to keep track
  16. chair — a leader
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. track — a path
  19. rash — on the skin
  20. chair — a professorship
  21. track — a song
  22. nail — on a finger
  23. capital — money
  24. mug — to rob

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