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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. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  2. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  3. I'll be taking the ________________.
  4. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  5. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  6. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  7. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  8. The light ________________ burned out.
  9. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  10. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  11. I've got to change the light ________________.
  12. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  13. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  14. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  15. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  16. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  17. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  18. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  19. When will it ________________ you to start?
  20. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  21. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  22. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  23. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  24. She had a strange look on her ________________.

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. stick — a piece of wood
  3. tube — the underground
  4. tube — a container
  5. branch — a division
  6. net — for catching
  7. suit — in cards
  8. bulb — for light
  9. board — a committee
  10. bulb — of a plant
  11. bulb — for light
  12. branch — of a tree
  13. face — to point toward
  14. board — to get on
  15. suit — clothes
  16. net — after costs
  17. net — in sport
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. suit — to fit
  20. board — a flat piece
  21. branch — of a bank
  22. tube — in a tire
  23. face — to confront
  24. face — part of the head

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