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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 ________________ change colour in autumn.
  3. The water is too ________________.
  4. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  5. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  6. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  7. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  8. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  9. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  10. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  11. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  12. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  13. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  14. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  15. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  16. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  17. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  18. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  19. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  20. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  21. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  22. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  23. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  24. The train ________________ at six o'clock.

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. leaves — of a tree
  3. cold — not warm
  4. fan — a supporter
  5. stick — a piece of wood
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. staff — employees
  8. cold — the Cold War
  9. can — to be able to
  10. cold — an illness
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. patient — calm and waiting
  13. vault — a safe
  14. can — a tin
  15. staff — employees
  16. vault — an arched ceiling
  17. vault — in gymnastics
  18. patient — a sick person
  19. leaves — lets stay
  20. can — a tin
  21. fan — to cool the air
  22. staff — a stick
  23. patient — a sick person
  24. leaves — to go away

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