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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. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  3. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  4. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  5. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  6. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  7. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  8. The ________________ took off on time.
  9. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  10. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  11. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  12. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  13. This piece is in a major ________________.
  14. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  15. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  16. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  17. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  18. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  19. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  20. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  21. It's one o'clock ________________.
  22. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  23. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  24. Boris sat near the fire ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. object — to protest
  2. object — an aim
  3. rule — a law
  4. racket — for tennis
  5. rule — to rule out
  6. firm — decided
  7. plane — a tool
  8. plane — an aircraft
  9. firm — steady
  10. rule — government
  11. object — a thing
  12. pit — a fruit stone
  13. key — in music
  14. sharp — with an edge
  15. key — for a lock
  16. pit — in a race
  17. sharp — clever
  18. plane — in geometry
  19. firm — a company
  20. racket — a loud noise
  21. sharp — exactly
  22. key — the most important part
  23. racket — for tennis
  24. pit — a hole

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