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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. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  3. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  4. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  5. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  6. I'll be taking the ________________.
  7. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  8. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  9. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  10. When was this ________________ built?
  11. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  12. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  13. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  14. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  15. The tickets are free of ________________.
  16. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  17. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  18. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  19. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  20. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  21. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  22. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  23. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  24. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?

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. lean — to bend
  3. march — the month
  4. tube — a container
  5. bore — to drill
  6. tube — the underground
  7. march — the month
  8. bore — gave birth
  9. tube — in a tire
  10. temple — a place of worship
  11. lean — to rest against
  12. stick — a piece of wood
  13. deal — a big deal
  14. lean — thin
  15. charge — a price
  16. charge — electricity
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. temple — a place of worship
  19. march — music
  20. charge — in control
  21. temple — side of the head
  22. deal — an agreement
  23. deal — to handle
  24. bore — to 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