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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. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  3. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  4. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  5. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  6. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  7. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  8. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  9. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  10. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  11. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  12. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  13. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  14. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  15. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  16. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  17. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  18. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  19. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  20. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  21. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  22. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  23. I can't ________________ this cold.
  24. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.

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. present — there
  4. bark — a dog's sound
  5. march — the month
  6. present — the time now
  7. pass — to spend time
  8. bark — to shout
  9. pass — to succeed
  10. root — of a word
  11. root — the cause
  12. net — after costs
  13. stand — on your feet
  14. march — the month
  15. march — music
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. net — in sport
  18. pass — a permit
  19. root — of a plant
  20. stand — for spectators
  21. net — for catching
  22. present — a gift
  23. stand — to bear
  24. bark — of a tree

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