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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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468
Word bank
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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. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  3. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  4. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  5. She's very handy with a ________________.
  6. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  7. I can't ________________ this cold.
  8. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  9. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  10. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  11. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  12. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  13. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  14. The ________________ went through the wall.
  15. He was locked up in a ________________.
  16. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  17. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  18. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  19. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  20. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  21. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  22. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  23. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  24. He works in a ________________ mill.

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. cell — in biology
  3. stick — a piece of wood
  4. branch — of a tree
  5. saw — the tool
  6. kid — child
  7. stand — to bear
  8. saw — past of 'see'
  9. kid — to tease
  10. craft — a handicraft
  11. branch — a division
  12. stand — on your feet
  13. craft — a skill
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. cell — in a prison
  16. cell — a phone
  17. stand — for spectators
  18. craft — boats
  19. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. nail — on a finger
  22. branch — of a bank
  23. stick — a piece of wood
  24. saw — the tool

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