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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. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  3. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  4. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  5. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  6. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  7. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  8. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  9. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  10. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  11. That was ________________ to happen.
  12. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  13. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  14. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  15. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  16. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  17. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  18. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  19. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  20. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  21. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  22. We're almost out of ________________.
  23. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  24. You don't need to ________________ round.

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. stick — a piece of wood
  3. track — to keep track
  4. track — a path
  5. squash — to crush
  6. craft — a handicraft
  7. bound — obliged
  8. craft — a skill
  9. pop — music
  10. bat — for baseball
  11. bound — certain
  12. bound — tied together
  13. bat — in an idiom
  14. squash — the sport
  15. stick — a piece of wood
  16. track — a song
  17. present — there
  18. squash — the vegetable
  19. present — the time now
  20. present — a gift
  21. bat — the animal
  22. pop — soda
  23. craft — boats
  24. pop — to visit

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