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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
468
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: ground · object · staff · swing · tear · tube · mine · rest

  1. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  2. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  3. There's no middle ________________.
  4. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  5. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  6. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  7. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  8. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  9. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  10. David sat on the ________________.
  11. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  12. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  13. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  14. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  15. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  16. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  17. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  18. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  19. I'll be taking the ________________.
  20. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  21. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  22. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  23. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  24. The old man leaned on his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — in golf
  2. tear — from crying
  3. ground — a position
  4. tube — in a tire
  5. tear — from crying
  6. mine — an explosive
  7. mine — for digging
  8. object — an aim
  9. mine — belonging to me
  10. swing — to play on
  11. staff — employees
  12. ground — the earth
  13. tube — a container
  14. tear — to rip
  15. rest — what's left
  16. swing — music
  17. rest — what's left
  18. staff — employees
  19. tube — the underground
  20. object — to protest
  21. rest — a break
  22. ground — crushed
  23. object — a thing
  24. staff — a stick

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