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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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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. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  3. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  4. When are we going to ________________?
  5. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  6. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  7. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  8. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  9. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  10. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  11. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  12. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  13. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  14. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  15. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  16. My mare is ________________ in color.
  17. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  18. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  19. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  20. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  21. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  22. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  23. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  24. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — a piece of wood
  2. stick — to attach or keep to
  3. race — a contest
  4. land — to come down
  5. stick — a piece of wood
  6. firm — steady
  7. trunk — of a tree
  8. firm — a company
  9. race — humankind
  10. land — a country
  11. trunk — of an elephant
  12. dip — to sink
  13. firm — decided
  14. fork — to eat with
  15. bay — to keep at bay
  16. bay — a horse colour
  17. fork — in a road
  18. trunk — of a car
  19. dip — a sauce
  20. fork — a garden tool
  21. race — the arms race
  22. bay — a part of the sea
  23. dip — to dunk
  24. land — ground

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