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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 120 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. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  2. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  3. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  4. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  5. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  6. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  7. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  8. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  9. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  10. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  11. When are we going to ________________?
  12. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  13. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  14. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  15. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  16. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  17. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  18. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  19. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  20. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  21. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  22. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  23. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  24. When will it ________________ you to start?

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

Answer key

  1. object — a thing
  2. object — an aim
  3. file — a tool
  4. scale — in music
  5. prune — to trim
  6. suit — clothes
  7. pound — to hit hard
  8. pound — for dogs
  9. pound — a weight
  10. cap — a lid
  11. land — to come down
  12. cap — of ice
  13. scale — size or range
  14. prune — to trim
  15. file — a line of people
  16. land — a country
  17. cap — a hat
  18. land — ground
  19. file — a document
  20. object — to protest
  21. suit — in cards
  22. prune — the fruit
  23. scale — for weighing
  24. suit — to fit

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