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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. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  2. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  3. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  4. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  5. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  6. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  7. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  8. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  9. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  10. This piece is in a major ________________.
  11. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  12. The light ________________ burned out.
  13. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  14. The King held a masked ________________.
  15. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  16. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  17. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  18. When will it ________________ you to start?
  19. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  20. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  21. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  22. I've got to change the light ________________.
  23. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  24. He had ________________ pain while walking.

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

Answer key

  1. object — to protest
  2. object — a thing
  3. object — an aim
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. key — for a lock
  6. ball — a round shape
  7. degree — an amount
  8. suit — clothes
  9. present — the time now
  10. key — in music
  11. bulb — of a plant
  12. bulb — for light
  13. degree — from a university
  14. ball — a dance
  15. degree — temperature
  16. suit — in cards
  17. present — there
  18. suit — to fit
  19. present — a gift
  20. ball — a great time
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. bulb — for light
  23. key — the most important part
  24. calf — of the leg

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