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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. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  3. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  4. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  5. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  6. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  7. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  8. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  9. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  10. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  11. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  12. Where did you ________________ them?
  13. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  14. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  15. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  16. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  17. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  18. That was a fun ________________.
  19. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  20. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  21. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  22. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  23. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  24. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.

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. pass — to spend time
  3. pass — to succeed
  4. cap — of ice
  5. fan — a supporter
  6. fork — a garden tool
  7. game — wild animals
  8. stick — a piece of wood
  9. fan — a supporter
  10. trunk — of an elephant
  11. fan — to cool the air
  12. mug — to rob
  13. pass — a permit
  14. cap — a lid
  15. game — a kind of play
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. fork — to eat with
  18. game — a match
  19. mug — a face
  20. trunk — of a tree
  21. trunk — of a car
  22. mug — a cup
  23. fork — in a road
  24. cap — a hat

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