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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.

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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. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  2. She's very handy with a ________________.
  3. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  4. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  5. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  6. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  7. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  8. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  9. He works in a ________________ mill.
  10. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  11. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  12. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  13. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  14. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  15. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  16. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  17. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  18. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — to attach or keep to
  2. saw — the tool
  3. stick — a piece of wood
  4. row — a line
  5. squash — the sport
  6. row — to paddle
  7. stick — a piece of wood
  8. pass — to spend time
  9. saw — the tool
  10. pass — to succeed
  11. root — of a word
  12. squash — the vegetable
  13. root — of a plant
  14. root — the cause
  15. pass — a permit
  16. saw — past of 'see'
  17. row — a quarrel
  18. squash — to crush

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