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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. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  2. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  3. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  4. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  5. When will it ________________ you to start?
  6. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  7. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  8. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  9. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  10. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  11. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  12. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  13. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  14. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  15. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  16. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  17. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  18. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  19. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  20. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  21. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  22. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  23. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  24. Should I buy a wireless ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. chest — a box
  2. chest — of your body
  3. stick — to attach or keep to
  4. pound — to hit hard
  5. suit — to fit
  6. fork — in a road
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. trunk — of a car
  9. trunk — of a tree
  10. suit — clothes
  11. stick — a piece of wood
  12. current — of water
  13. current — electric
  14. fork — a garden tool
  15. stick — a piece of wood
  16. current — happening now
  17. pound — a weight
  18. chest — of your body
  19. trunk — of an elephant
  20. pound — for dogs
  21. suit — in cards
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. fork — to eat with
  24. mouse — for a computer

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