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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. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  3. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  4. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  5. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  6. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  7. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  8. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  9. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  10. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  11. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  12. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  13. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  14. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  15. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  16. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  17. What do you think of the new ________________?
  18. That was a fun ________________.
  19. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  20. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  21. There's no middle ________________.
  22. That must've been a ________________.
  23. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  24. You shouldn't ________________ things.

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. stick — a piece of wood
  3. trunk — of a car
  4. file — a line of people
  5. trunk — of a tree
  6. ground — crushed
  7. staff — employees
  8. file — a document
  9. staff — employees
  10. game — wild animals
  11. staff — a stick
  12. rush — hurry
  13. stick — a piece of wood
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. ground — the earth
  16. game — a kind of play
  17. cabinet — ministers
  18. game — a match
  19. trunk — of an elephant
  20. file — a tool
  21. ground — a position
  22. rush — a thrill
  23. cabinet — a cupboard
  24. rush — to hurry

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