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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. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  3. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  4. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  5. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  6. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  7. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  8. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  9. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  10. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  11. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  12. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  13. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  14. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  15. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  16. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  17. That was ________________ to happen.
  18. He is an ace ________________.

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. bound — tied together
  3. stick — a piece of wood
  4. present — there
  5. bound — obliged
  6. pitcher — a jug
  7. stick — a piece of wood
  8. file — a document
  9. present — a gift
  10. stem — of a plant
  11. stem — a stem cell
  12. present — the time now
  13. file — a line of people
  14. pitcher — a jug
  15. file — a tool
  16. stem — to come from
  17. bound — certain
  18. pitcher — in baseball

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