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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. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  2. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  3. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  4. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  5. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  6. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  7. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  8. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  9. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  10. The ________________ went through the wall.
  11. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  12. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  13. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  14. The ________________ market has crashed.
  15. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  16. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  17. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  18. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  19. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  20. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  21. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  22. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  23. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  24. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.

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. scale — for weighing
  3. stick — a piece of wood
  4. pound — a weight
  5. nail — on a finger
  6. clip — a video
  7. scale — in music
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. clip — for paper
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. mark — a grade
  12. pound — to hit hard
  13. face — to point toward
  14. stock — shares
  15. stick — a piece of wood
  16. scale — size or range
  17. stock — a soup base
  18. clip — to cut
  19. stock — goods
  20. mark — a trace
  21. face — to confront
  22. face — part of the head
  23. pound — for dogs
  24. mark — to pay attention

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