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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. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  4. My father caught me by the ________________.
  5. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  6. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  7. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  8. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  9. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  10. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  11. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  12. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  13. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  14. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  15. When will it ________________ you to start?
  16. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  17. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  18. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  19. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  20. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  21. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  22. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  23. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  24. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.

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. suit — clothes
  4. arm — part of the body
  5. fan — to cool the air
  6. fan — a supporter
  7. arm — a part of something
  8. march — the month
  9. firm — steady
  10. file — a document
  11. chip — in a computer
  12. object — an aim
  13. march — music
  14. file — a line of people
  15. suit — to fit
  16. chip — for betting
  17. chip — to eat
  18. suit — in cards
  19. march — the month
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. arm — part of the body
  22. firm — decided
  23. firm — a company
  24. file — a tool

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