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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. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  2. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  3. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  4. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  5. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  6. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  7. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  8. This piece is in a major ________________.
  9. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  10. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  11. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  12. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  13. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  14. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  15. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  16. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  17. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  18. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  19. Where did you ________________ them?
  20. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  21. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  22. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  23. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  24. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.

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

Answer key

  1. object — to protest
  2. present — the time now
  3. mug — a cup
  4. object — an aim
  5. bat — for baseball
  6. wave — a sudden rise
  7. wave — with your hand
  8. key — in music
  9. dip — a sauce
  10. wave — of the sea
  11. mug — a face
  12. present — there
  13. bat — the animal
  14. dip — to sink
  15. key — for a lock
  16. stem — a stem cell
  17. present — a gift
  18. object — a thing
  19. mug — to rob
  20. stem — of a plant
  21. bat — in an idiom
  22. stem — to come from
  23. key — the most important part
  24. dip — to dunk

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