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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 ________________ went through the wall.
  2. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  3. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  4. My father caught me by the ________________.
  5. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  6. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  7. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  8. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  9. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  10. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  11. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  12. That was ________________ to happen.
  13. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  14. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  15. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  16. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  17. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  18. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  19. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  20. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  21. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  22. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  23. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  24. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. bound — obliged
  3. stick — a piece of wood
  4. arm — part of the body
  5. prune — to trim
  6. stick — to attach or keep to
  7. rock — a stone
  8. nail — on a finger
  9. pitch — a sports field
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. pitch — completely
  12. bound — certain
  13. arm — a part of something
  14. prune — the fruit
  15. rock — music
  16. current — of water
  17. pitch — a sales talk
  18. bound — tied together
  19. arm — part of the body
  20. prune — to trim
  21. rock — to move gently
  22. current — happening now
  23. stick — a piece of wood
  24. current — electric

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