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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.

Words on the sheet
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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: object · tube · spring · scale · spell · chair

  1. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  2. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  3. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  4. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  5. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  6. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  7. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  8. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  9. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  10. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  11. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  12. How do you ________________ your surname?
  13. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  14. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  15. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  16. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  17. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  18. I'll be taking the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. object — an aim
  2. tube — a container
  3. scale — size or range
  4. spring — the season
  5. spring — of water
  6. object — a thing
  7. chair — a leader
  8. chair — a professorship
  9. scale — for weighing
  10. spell — a short time
  11. tube — in a tire
  12. spell — letters
  13. scale — in music
  14. spell — magic
  15. chair — to sit on
  16. object — to protest
  17. spring — a coil
  18. tube — the underground

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