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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 120 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. That must've been a ________________.
  2. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  3. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  4. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  5. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  6. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  7. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  8. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  9. She's very handy with a ________________.
  10. I'll be taking the ________________.
  11. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  12. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  13. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  14. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  15. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  16. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  17. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  18. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  19. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  20. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  21. That was ________________ to happen.
  22. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  23. He works in a ________________ mill.
  24. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — a thrill
  2. stick — a piece of wood
  3. deal — to handle
  4. prune — the fruit
  5. bound — obliged
  6. board — a committee
  7. rush — hurry
  8. board — to get on
  9. saw — the tool
  10. tube — the underground
  11. tube — a container
  12. saw — past of 'see'
  13. deal — an agreement
  14. board — a flat piece
  15. stick — to attach or keep to
  16. prune — to trim
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. rush — to hurry
  19. tube — in a tire
  20. deal — a big deal
  21. bound — certain
  22. bound — tied together
  23. saw — the tool
  24. prune — to trim

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