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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 124 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 kitten curled into a ________________.
  3. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  4. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  5. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  6. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  7. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  8. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  9. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  10. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  11. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  12. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  13. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  14. The tickets are free of ________________.
  15. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  16. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  17. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  18. The King held a masked ________________.
  19. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  20. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  21. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  22. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  23. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  24. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.

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. ball — a round shape
  3. stick — a piece of wood
  4. wake — to stop sleeping
  5. charge — electricity
  6. jam — to spread on bread
  7. snap — to click
  8. charge — in control
  9. perch — the fish
  10. perch — for a bird
  11. stick — a piece of wood
  12. jam — a tight spot
  13. perch — for a bird
  14. charge — a price
  15. jam — in traffic
  16. ball — a great time
  17. wake — before a funeral
  18. ball — a dance
  19. snap — to snap out of it
  20. branch — of a bank
  21. branch — of a tree
  22. branch — a division
  23. snap — to speak sharply
  24. wake — a trail

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