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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. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  2. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  3. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  4. When will it ________________ you to start?
  5. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  6. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  7. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  8. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  9. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  10. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  11. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  12. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  13. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  14. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  15. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  16. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  17. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  18. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  19. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  20. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  21. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  22. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  23. Have you found your soul ________________?
  24. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. chest — a box
  2. stick — to attach or keep to
  3. chest — of your body
  4. suit — to fit
  5. foot — a measure
  6. foot — part of the body
  7. leaves — to go away
  8. mate — a friend
  9. suit — in cards
  10. fork — in a road
  11. fork — a garden tool
  12. leaves — of a tree
  13. leaves — lets stay
  14. chest — of your body
  15. tear — from crying
  16. mate — to breed
  17. tear — from crying
  18. tear — to rip
  19. fork — to eat with
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. suit — clothes
  22. foot — the bottom
  23. mate — a partner
  24. stick — a piece of wood

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