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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. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  3. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  4. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  5. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  6. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  7. We're almost out of ________________.
  8. What do you think of the new ________________?
  9. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  10. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  11. The ________________ went through the wall.
  12. You don't need to ________________ round.
  13. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  14. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  15. The ________________ took off on time.
  16. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  17. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  18. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  19. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  20. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  21. That must've been a ________________.
  22. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  23. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  24. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.

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 — on a finger
  3. pop — music
  4. cabinet — a cupboard
  5. branch — a division
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. pop — soda
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. plane — a tool
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. pop — to visit
  13. branch — of a bank
  14. bear — the animal
  15. plane — an aircraft
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. bear — to put up with
  18. rush — to hurry
  19. cabinet — ministers
  20. bear — the animal
  21. rush — a thrill
  22. plane — in geometry
  23. rush — hurry
  24. branch — of a tree

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