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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. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  3. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  4. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  5. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  6. He was locked up in a ________________.
  7. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  8. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  9. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  10. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  11. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  12. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  13. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  14. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  15. Did you ________________ the meat?
  16. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  17. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  18. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  19. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  20. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  21. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  22. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  23. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  24. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.

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. drill — a practice
  3. net — for catching
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. leaves — of a tree
  6. cell — in a prison
  7. season — in sport
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. season — of the year
  10. cell — a phone
  11. face — to confront
  12. stick — a piece of wood
  13. drill — the tool
  14. net — in sport
  15. season — to add flavour
  16. leaves — lets stay
  17. mouse — for a computer
  18. leaves — to go away
  19. drill — army training
  20. face — part of the head
  21. cell — in biology
  22. face — to point toward
  23. net — after costs
  24. 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