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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've got to change the light ________________.
  3. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  4. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  5. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  6. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  7. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  8. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  9. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  10. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  11. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  12. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  13. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  14. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  15. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  16. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  17. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  18. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  19. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  20. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  21. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  22. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  23. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  24. The light ________________ burned out.

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

Answer key

  1. object — an aim
  2. bulb — for light
  3. cap — of ice
  4. bulb — of a plant
  5. clip — to cut
  6. object — to protest
  7. cap — a lid
  8. object — a thing
  9. pound — to hit hard
  10. firm — a company
  11. firm — steady
  12. cap — a hat
  13. clip — for paper
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. pound — for dogs
  16. clip — a video
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. club — a group
  19. stick — to attach or keep to
  20. firm — decided
  21. club — for dancing
  22. pound — a weight
  23. club — for golf
  24. bulb — for light

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