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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. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  3. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  4. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  5. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  6. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  7. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  8. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  9. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  10. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  11. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  12. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  13. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  14. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  15. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  16. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  17. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  18. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  19. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  20. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  21. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  22. That was a fun ________________.
  23. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  24. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.

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. wind — to turn a key
  3. wind — moving air
  4. bark — a dog's sound
  5. stick — a piece of wood
  6. patient — calm and waiting
  7. patient — a sick person
  8. bark — to shout
  9. pass — to succeed
  10. game — a kind of play
  11. fan — to cool the air
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. bark — of a tree
  15. pass — a permit
  16. game — wild animals
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. wind — moving air
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. lie — to recline
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. game — a match
  23. patient — a sick person
  24. pass — to spend time

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