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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. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  2. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  3. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  4. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  5. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  6. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  7. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  8. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  9. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  10. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  11. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  12. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  13. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  14. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  15. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  16. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  17. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  18. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  19. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  20. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  21. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  22. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  23. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  24. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. foot — a measure
  2. wave — with your hand
  3. stick — to attach or keep to
  4. bear — to put up with
  5. wave — a sudden rise
  6. cue — for pool
  7. race — the arms race
  8. foot — the bottom
  9. cue — a hint
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. race — a contest
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. fork — a garden tool
  15. lie — to recline
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. foot — part of the body
  18. fork — in a road
  19. bear — the animal
  20. cue — a signal
  21. race — humankind
  22. wave — of the sea
  23. bear — the animal
  24. fork — to eat with

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