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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. He works in a ________________ mill.
  3. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  4. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  5. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  6. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  7. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  8. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  9. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  10. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  11. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  12. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  13. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  14. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  15. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  16. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  17. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  18. She's very handy with a ________________.
  19. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  20. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  21. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  22. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  23. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  24. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.

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. saw — the tool
  3. fan — a supporter
  4. fan — to cool the air
  5. fork — a garden tool
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. stick — a piece of wood
  8. clip — for paper
  9. fork — in a road
  10. rock — to move gently
  11. rock — a stone
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. rock — music
  14. pass — a permit
  15. wax — in the ear
  16. clip — to cut
  17. wax — to grow
  18. saw — the tool
  19. pass — to spend time
  20. pass — to succeed
  21. saw — past of 'see'
  22. clip — a video
  23. wax — for sculpting
  24. fork — to eat with

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