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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 116 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. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  2. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  3. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  4. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  5. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  6. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  7. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  8. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  9. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  10. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  11. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  12. The ________________ went through the wall.
  13. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  14. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  15. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  16. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  17. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  18. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  19. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  20. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  21. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  22. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  23. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  24. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. stick — a piece of wood
  2. scale — for weighing
  3. lean — to rest against
  4. scale — in music
  5. lean — to bend
  6. track — a path
  7. wind — moving air
  8. track — a song
  9. wake — to stop sleeping
  10. track — to keep track
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. wind — to turn a key
  14. nail — on a finger
  15. scale — size or range
  16. wake — before a funeral
  17. wind — moving air
  18. deal — a big deal
  19. deal — to handle
  20. deal — an agreement
  21. stick — a piece of wood
  22. wake — a trail
  23. lean — thin
  24. stick — to attach or keep to

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