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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. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  3. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  4. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  5. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  6. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  7. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  8. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  9. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  10. It's one o'clock ________________.
  11. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  12. When will it ________________ you to start?
  13. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  14. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  15. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  16. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  17. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  18. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.

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. wax — to grow
  3. stick — a piece of wood
  4. sharp — clever
  5. suit — in cards
  6. branch — a division
  7. sharp — with an edge
  8. wax — for sculpting
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. sharp — exactly
  11. lie — to recline
  12. suit — to fit
  13. suit — clothes
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. wax — in the ear
  17. branch — of a tree
  18. branch — of a bank

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