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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. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  2. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  3. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  4. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  5. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  6. Where did you ________________ them?
  7. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  8. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  9. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  10. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  11. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  12. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  13. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  14. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  15. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  16. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  17. Did you ________________ the meat?
  18. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — a piece of wood
  2. fork — in a road
  3. mug — a cup
  4. stick — to attach or keep to
  5. lean — thin
  6. mug — to rob
  7. lean — to bend
  8. lean — to rest against
  9. season — of the year
  10. mug — a face
  11. mine — an explosive
  12. season — in sport
  13. mine — belonging to me
  14. fork — to eat with
  15. mine — for digging
  16. fork — a garden tool
  17. season — to add flavour
  18. stick — a piece of wood

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