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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. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  2. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  3. I'll be taking the ________________.
  4. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  5. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  6. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  7. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  8. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  9. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  10. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  11. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  12. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  13. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  14. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  15. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  16. That must've been a ________________.
  17. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  18. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  19. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  20. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  21. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  22. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  23. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  24. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — a piece of wood
  2. present — a gift
  3. tube — the underground
  4. stick — to attach or keep to
  5. tube — a container
  6. prune — the fruit
  7. tube — in a tire
  8. prune — to trim
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. calf — of the leg
  11. present — there
  12. rush — hurry
  13. rock — music
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. rush — a thrill
  17. rock — to move gently
  18. wound — an injury
  19. rock — a stone
  20. wound — past of 'wind'
  21. wound — an injury
  22. prune — to trim
  23. rush — to hurry
  24. present — the time now

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