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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. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  3. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  4. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  5. I'll be taking the ________________.
  6. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  7. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  8. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  9. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  10. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  11. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  12. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  13. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  14. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  15. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  16. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  17. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  18. The ________________ went through the wall.
  19. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  20. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  21. We're on a ________________ here.
  22. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  23. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  24. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.

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. capital — money
  3. pass — to succeed
  4. scale — for weighing
  5. tube — the underground
  6. scale — in music
  7. wave — a sudden rise
  8. wave — with your hand
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. roll — a list
  11. tube — in a tire
  12. wave — of the sea
  13. capital — a city
  14. capital — a big letter
  15. stick — a piece of wood
  16. tube — a container
  17. nail — on a finger
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. pass — to spend time
  20. scale — size or range
  21. roll — on a roll
  22. roll — a cake
  23. pass — a permit
  24. stick — a piece of wood

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