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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. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  3. The King held a masked ________________.
  4. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  5. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  6. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  7. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  8. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  9. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  10. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  11. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  12. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  13. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  14. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  15. Have you met the new head ________________?
  16. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  17. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  18. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  19. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  20. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  21. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  22. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  23. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  24. I'd like to play a game of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. object — a thing
  2. ball — a great time
  3. ball — a dance
  4. squash — the vegetable
  5. firm — steady
  6. object — to protest
  7. root — of a word
  8. coach — pulled by horses
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. chest — of your body
  11. chest — a box
  12. root — the cause
  13. calf — of the leg
  14. chest — of your body
  15. coach — a trainer
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. ball — a round shape
  18. coach — a trainer
  19. firm — a company
  20. firm — decided
  21. object — an aim
  22. squash — to crush
  23. root — of a plant
  24. squash — the sport

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