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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. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  2. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  3. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  4. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  5. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  6. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  7. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  8. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  9. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  10. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  11. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  12. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  13. My father caught me by the ________________.
  14. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  15. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  16. She's very handy with a ________________.
  17. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  18. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  19. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  20. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  21. He works in a ________________ mill.
  22. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  23. When will it ________________ you to start?
  24. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. stick — a piece of wood
  2. band — a music group
  3. present — there
  4. suit — in cards
  5. stick — a piece of wood
  6. suit — clothes
  7. arm — part of the body
  8. band — a ring
  9. stick — to attach or keep to
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. lean — to bend
  12. lean — to rest against
  13. arm — part of the body
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. lean — thin
  16. saw — the tool
  17. ruler — a monarch
  18. band — a rubber band
  19. present — the time now
  20. saw — past of 'see'
  21. saw — the tool
  22. present — a gift
  23. suit — to fit
  24. arm — a part of something

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