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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 116 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. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  3. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  4. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  5. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  6. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  7. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  8. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  9. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  10. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  11. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  12. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  13. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  14. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  15. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  16. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  17. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  18. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.

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. squash — the vegetable
  3. hand — in cards
  4. bear — to put up with
  5. squash — to crush
  6. kick — in football
  7. hand — part of the body
  8. stem — to come from
  9. bear — the animal
  10. kick — a thrill
  11. bear — the animal
  12. squash — the sport
  13. stick — a piece of wood
  14. hand — help
  15. stem — a stem cell
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. kick — with a leg
  18. stem — of a plant

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