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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. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  3. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  4. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  5. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  6. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  7. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  8. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  9. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  10. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  11. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  12. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  13. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  14. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  15. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  16. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  17. Did you ________________ the meat?
  18. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  19. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  20. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  21. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  22. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  23. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  24. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.

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. season — of the year
  3. wound — an injury
  4. stem — to come from
  5. stem — a stem cell
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. fork — a garden tool
  8. season — in sport
  9. face — to point toward
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. wound — past of 'wind'
  12. stick — a piece of wood
  13. face — part of the head
  14. track — to keep track
  15. track — a path
  16. fork — to eat with
  17. season — to add flavour
  18. face — to confront
  19. stem — of a plant
  20. wound — an injury
  21. lie — to recline
  22. lie — an untruth
  23. track — a song
  24. fork — in a road

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