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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.

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: kid · lie · can · object · bear · club · staff · fan

  1. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  2. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  3. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  4. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  5. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  6. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  7. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  8. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  9. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  10. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  11. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  12. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  13. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  14. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  15. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  16. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  17. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  18. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  19. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  20. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  21. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  22. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  23. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  24. ________________ you help me carry this box?

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

Answer key

  1. kid — to tease
  2. object — a thing
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. bear — the animal
  5. object — to protest
  6. bear — the animal
  7. staff — employees
  8. club — for golf
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. kid — child
  11. staff — a stick
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. club — for dancing
  14. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  15. bear — to put up with
  16. can — a tin
  17. club — a group
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. lie — to recline
  20. staff — employees
  21. fan — to cool the air
  22. object — an aim
  23. can — a tin
  24. can — to be able to

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