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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 116 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. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  3. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  4. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  5. When will it ________________ you to start?
  6. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  7. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  8. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  9. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  10. The tickets are free of ________________.
  11. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  12. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  13. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  14. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  15. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  16. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  17. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  18. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  19. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  20. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  21. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  22. I'll be taking the ________________.
  23. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  24. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — a piece of wood
  2. charge — in control
  3. racket — a loud noise
  4. lean — to rest against
  5. suit — to fit
  6. stick — to attach or keep to
  7. object — an aim
  8. suit — clothes
  9. lean — thin
  10. charge — a price
  11. racket — for tennis
  12. object — to protest
  13. charge — electricity
  14. tube — a container
  15. racket — for tennis
  16. race — the arms race
  17. object — a thing
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. race — a contest
  20. suit — in cards
  21. race — humankind
  22. tube — the underground
  23. lean — to bend
  24. tube — in a tire

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