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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's quite ________________, isn't he?
  3. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  4. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  5. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  6. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  7. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  8. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  9. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  10. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  11. It's one o'clock ________________.
  12. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  13. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  14. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  15. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  16. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  17. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  18. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  19. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  20. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  21. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  22. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  23. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  24. We took cover from the thunder ________________.

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. sharp — clever
  3. track — a song
  4. shower — a meteor shower
  5. root — of a plant
  6. track — a path
  7. drill — the tool
  8. stick — a piece of wood
  9. track — to keep track
  10. root — of a word
  11. sharp — exactly
  12. root — the cause
  13. chip — in a computer
  14. prune — the fruit
  15. chip — to eat
  16. drill — a practice
  17. prune — to trim
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. prune — to trim
  20. shower — to wash
  21. chip — for betting
  22. sharp — with an edge
  23. drill — army training
  24. shower — rain

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