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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. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  3. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  4. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  5. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  6. He was locked up in a ________________.
  7. I'll be taking the ________________.
  8. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  9. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  10. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  11. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  12. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  13. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  14. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  15. That was ________________ to happen.
  16. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  17. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  18. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  19. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  20. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  21. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  22. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  23. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  24. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. object — a thing
  2. object — to protest
  3. kid — to tease
  4. can — to be able to
  5. tube — a container
  6. cell — in a prison
  7. tube — the underground
  8. bear — to put up with
  9. mark — to pay attention
  10. can — a tin
  11. bound — obliged
  12. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  13. tube — in a tire
  14. bound — tied together
  15. bound — certain
  16. mark — a trace
  17. mark — a grade
  18. cell — in biology
  19. can — a tin
  20. bear — the animal
  21. kid — child
  22. bear — the animal
  23. cell — a phone
  24. object — an aim

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