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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 speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  3. It's one o'clock ________________.
  4. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  5. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  6. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  7. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  8. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  9. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  10. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  11. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  12. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  13. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  14. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  15. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  16. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  17. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  18. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  19. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  20. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  21. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  22. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  23. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  24. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.

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. wake — a trail
  3. sharp — exactly
  4. rock — to move gently
  5. patient — a sick person
  6. deal — a big deal
  7. patient — a sick person
  8. race — a contest
  9. race — humankind
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. wake — to stop sleeping
  12. deal — to handle
  13. sharp — with an edge
  14. sharp — clever
  15. wake — before a funeral
  16. content — the amount
  17. content — videos and posts
  18. race — the arms race
  19. deal — an agreement
  20. content — happy
  21. rock — music
  22. rock — a stone
  23. stick — a piece of wood
  24. patient — calm and waiting

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