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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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468
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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. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  3. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  4. I'll be taking the ________________.
  5. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  6. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  7. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  8. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  9. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  10. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  11. The ________________ took off on time.
  12. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  13. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  14. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  15. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  16. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  17. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  18. How do you ________________ your surname?
  19. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  20. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  21. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  22. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  23. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  24. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.

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. tube — in a tire
  3. bass — the fish
  4. tube — the underground
  5. perch — for a bird
  6. toast — a drink to someone
  7. perch — for a bird
  8. toast — bread
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. rock — a stone
  11. plane — an aircraft
  12. plane — a tool
  13. stick — a piece of wood
  14. bass — the instrument
  15. spell — magic
  16. bass — low music
  17. plane — in geometry
  18. spell — letters
  19. rock — music
  20. rock — to move gently
  21. tube — a container
  22. toast — the most admired
  23. perch — the fish
  24. spell — a short time

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