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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. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  3. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  4. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  5. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  6. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  7. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  8. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  9. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  10. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  11. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  12. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  13. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  14. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  15. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  16. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  17. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  18. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  19. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  20. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  21. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  22. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  23. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  24. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.

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. stick — a piece of wood
  3. perch — for a bird
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. net — for catching
  6. rule — a law
  7. pass — to succeed
  8. fork — to eat with
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. perch — the fish
  11. fork — in a road
  12. bat — in an idiom
  13. rule — government
  14. bat — for baseball
  15. net — in sport
  16. fork — a garden tool
  17. bat — the animal
  18. calf — of the leg
  19. pass — to spend time
  20. pass — a permit
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. net — after costs
  23. rule — to rule out
  24. perch — for a bird

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