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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. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  3. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  4. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  5. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  6. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  7. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  8. That was a fun ________________.
  9. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  10. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  11. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  12. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  13. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  14. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  15. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  16. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  17. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  18. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  19. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  20. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  21. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  22. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  23. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  24. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?

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

Answer key

  1. object — a thing
  2. pass — to spend time
  3. prune — the fruit
  4. foot — a measure
  5. object — an aim
  6. firm — a company
  7. firm — steady
  8. game — a match
  9. pass — a permit
  10. foot — the bottom
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. firm — decided
  13. foot — part of the body
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. pass — to succeed
  16. prune — to trim
  17. fan — to cool the air
  18. game — a kind of play
  19. prune — to trim
  20. object — to protest
  21. calf — of the leg
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. game — wild animals
  24. fan — a supporter

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