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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. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  3. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  4. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  5. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  6. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  7. My father caught me by the ________________.
  8. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  9. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  10. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  11. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  12. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  13. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  14. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  15. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  16. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  17. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  18. We're on a ________________ here.
  19. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  20. You don't need to ________________ round.
  21. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  22. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  23. We're almost out of ________________.
  24. Hold the papers together with a ________________.

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. mark — a trace
  3. clip — to cut
  4. arm — a part of something
  5. stick — a piece of wood
  6. pop — music
  7. arm — part of the body
  8. stick — a piece of wood
  9. mark — to pay attention
  10. trunk — of a tree
  11. roll — a list
  12. bore — gave birth
  13. bore — to drill
  14. arm — part of the body
  15. bore — to tire
  16. trunk — of a car
  17. trunk — of an elephant
  18. roll — on a roll
  19. clip — a video
  20. pop — to visit
  21. roll — a cake
  22. mark — a grade
  23. pop — soda
  24. clip — for paper

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