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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. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  2. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  3. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  4. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  5. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  6. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  7. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  8. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  9. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  10. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  11. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  12. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  13. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  14. There's no middle ________________.
  15. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  16. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  17. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  18. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  19. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  20. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  21. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  22. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  23. The tickets are free of ________________.
  24. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.

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

Answer key

  1. object — an aim
  2. racket — for tennis
  3. racket — for tennis
  4. rest — what's left
  5. rest — what's left
  6. object — a thing
  7. can — to be able to
  8. prune — the fruit
  9. can — a tin
  10. ground — the earth
  11. racket — a loud noise
  12. charge — in control
  13. prune — to trim
  14. ground — a position
  15. object — to protest
  16. prune — to trim
  17. charge — electricity
  18. track — to keep track
  19. track — a path
  20. ground — crushed
  21. track — a song
  22. rest — a break
  23. charge — a price
  24. can — a tin

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