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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. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  3. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  4. The ________________ went through the wall.
  5. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  6. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  7. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  8. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  9. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  10. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  11. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  12. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  13. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  14. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  15. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  16. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  17. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  18. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  19. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  20. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  21. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  22. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  23. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  24. The tickets are free of ________________.

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. dip — to sink
  3. stick — a piece of wood
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. dip — to dunk
  6. bank — for money
  7. spring — of water
  8. chest — of your body
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. present — a gift
  11. bank — for money
  12. present — there
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. chest — of your body
  15. present — the time now
  16. charge — in control
  17. spring — the season
  18. bank — of a river
  19. chest — a box
  20. charge — electricity
  21. nail — on a finger
  22. spring — a coil
  23. dip — a sauce
  24. charge — a price

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