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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. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  3. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  4. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  5. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  6. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  7. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  8. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  9. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  10. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  11. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  12. When was this ________________ built?
  13. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  14. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  15. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  16. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  17. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  18. The King held a masked ________________.
  19. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  20. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  21. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  22. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  23. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  24. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.

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. jam — in traffic
  3. ball — a round shape
  4. jam — a tight spot
  5. cue — for pool
  6. jam — to spread on bread
  7. board — to get on
  8. tear — from crying
  9. cue — a hint
  10. board — a flat piece
  11. field — a subject
  12. temple — a place of worship
  13. field — for sport
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. ball — a great time
  16. tear — from crying
  17. temple — side of the head
  18. ball — a dance
  19. field — farmland
  20. board — a committee
  21. cue — a signal
  22. stick — a piece of wood
  23. tear — to rip
  24. temple — a place of worship

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