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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. Don't do anything ________________.
  2. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  3. The ________________ took off on time.
  4. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  5. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  6. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  7. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  8. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  9. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  10. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  11. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  12. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  13. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  14. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  15. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  16. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  17. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  18. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  19. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  20. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  21. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  22. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  23. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  24. When are we going to ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. rash — hasty
  2. object — a thing
  3. plane — an aircraft
  4. object — to protest
  5. object — an aim
  6. plane — a tool
  7. land — a country
  8. pitch — completely
  9. mark — a grade
  10. kick — in football
  11. rash — on the skin
  12. mark — to pay attention
  13. wave — a sudden rise
  14. pitch — a sports field
  15. kick — a thrill
  16. rash — a series
  17. pitch — a sales talk
  18. land — ground
  19. kick — with a leg
  20. mark — a trace
  21. plane — in geometry
  22. wave — of the sea
  23. wave — with your hand
  24. land — to come down

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