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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. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  3. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  4. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  5. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  6. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  7. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  8. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  9. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  10. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  11. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  12. When will it ________________ you to start?
  13. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  14. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  15. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  16. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  17. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  18. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  19. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  20. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  21. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  22. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  23. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  24. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.

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. chip — in a computer
  3. foot — the bottom
  4. suit — in cards
  5. stick — a piece of wood
  6. wake — to stop sleeping
  7. stick — a piece of wood
  8. wake — before a funeral
  9. leaves — to go away
  10. rest — a break
  11. kick — in football
  12. suit — to fit
  13. chip — to eat
  14. suit — clothes
  15. wake — a trail
  16. foot — part of the body
  17. leaves — of a tree
  18. kick — with a leg
  19. rest — what's left
  20. chip — for betting
  21. rest — what's left
  22. foot — a measure
  23. kick — a thrill
  24. leaves — lets stay

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