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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 120 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. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  3. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  4. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  5. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  6. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  7. The ________________ went through the wall.
  8. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  9. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  10. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  11. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  12. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  13. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  14. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  15. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  16. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  17. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  18. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  19. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  20. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  21. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  22. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  23. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  24. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.

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. nail — for a hammer
  3. prune — to trim
  4. drill — a practice
  5. rest — what's left
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. object — to protest
  9. nail — on a finger
  10. pitch — a sales talk
  11. stick — a piece of wood
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. object — an aim
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. pitch — completely
  16. object — a thing
  17. prune — to trim
  18. rest — what's left
  19. drill — army training
  20. pitch — a sports field
  21. calf — of the leg
  22. rest — a break
  23. prune — the fruit
  24. drill — the tool

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