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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. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  3. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  4. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  5. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  6. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  7. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  8. It's one o'clock ________________.
  9. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  10. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  11. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  12. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  13. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  14. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  15. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  16. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  17. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  18. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  19. When will it ________________ you to start?
  20. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  21. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  22. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  23. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  24. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.

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. trunk — of a tree
  3. scale — size or range
  4. sharp — clever
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. lie — to recline
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. sharp — exactly
  9. scale — in music
  10. bass — low music
  11. pit — a hole
  12. bass — the instrument
  13. pit — in a race
  14. bass — the fish
  15. suit — clothes
  16. trunk — of an elephant
  17. pit — a fruit stone
  18. trunk — of a car
  19. suit — to fit
  20. sharp — with an edge
  21. stick — a piece of wood
  22. suit — in cards
  23. stick — a piece of wood
  24. scale — for weighing

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