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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. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  3. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  4. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  5. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  6. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  7. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  8. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  9. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  10. What do you think of the new ________________?
  11. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  12. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  13. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  14. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  15. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  16. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  17. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  18. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  19. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  20. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  21. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  22. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  23. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  24. It's one o'clock ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. object — a thing
  2. rest — what's left
  3. net — in sport
  4. net — for catching
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. tear — to rip
  7. object — an aim
  8. rest — a break
  9. rest — what's left
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. mouse — for a computer
  12. sharp — with an edge
  13. cue — a signal
  14. cue — for pool
  15. tear — from crying
  16. tear — from crying
  17. sharp — clever
  18. cabinet — a cupboard
  19. cue — a hint
  20. cabinet — ministers
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. object — to protest
  23. net — after costs
  24. sharp — exactly

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