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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 124 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. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  3. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  4. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  5. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  6. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  7. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  8. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  9. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  10. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  11. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  12. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  13. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  14. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  15. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  16. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  17. When will it ________________ you to start?
  18. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  19. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  20. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  21. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  22. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  23. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  24. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.

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

Answer key

  1. object — a thing
  2. scale — size or range
  3. scale — for weighing
  4. fork — a garden tool
  5. toast — a drink to someone
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. object — an aim
  8. object — to protest
  9. hide — to keep secret
  10. rock — music
  11. rock — a stone
  12. fork — to eat with
  13. suit — in cards
  14. rock — to move gently
  15. suit — clothes
  16. hide — animal skin
  17. suit — to fit
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. fork — in a road
  20. toast — the most admired
  21. scale — in music
  22. hide — to keep secret
  23. stick — to attach or keep to
  24. toast — bread

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