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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. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  3. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  4. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  5. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  6. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  7. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  8. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  9. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  10. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  11. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  12. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  13. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  14. It's one o'clock ________________.
  15. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  16. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  17. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  18. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  19. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  20. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  21. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  22. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  23. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  24. The King held a masked ________________.

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. lie — an untruth
  3. lie — to recline
  4. kick — in football
  5. squash — to crush
  6. file — a tool
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. squash — the vegetable
  9. file — a document
  10. ball — a great time
  11. squash — the sport
  12. toast — the most admired
  13. toast — a drink to someone
  14. sharp — exactly
  15. kick — with a leg
  16. file — a line of people
  17. kick — a thrill
  18. ball — a round shape
  19. sharp — clever
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. stick — a piece of wood
  22. toast — bread
  23. sharp — with an edge
  24. ball — a dance

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