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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. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  3. It's one o'clock ________________.
  4. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  5. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  6. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  7. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  8. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  9. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  10. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  11. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  12. This piece is in a major ________________.
  13. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  14. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  15. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  16. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  17. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  18. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  19. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  20. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  21. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  22. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  23. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  24. What do you think of the new ________________?

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. key — the most important part
  3. sharp — exactly
  4. prune — to trim
  5. straw — dry grass
  6. sharp — clever
  7. jam — a tight spot
  8. hand — part of the body
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. jam — to spread on bread
  11. straw — a straw man
  12. key — in music
  13. key — for a lock
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. jam — in traffic
  16. hand — in cards
  17. cabinet — ministers
  18. hand — help
  19. straw — to clutch at straws
  20. prune — the fruit
  21. cabinet — a cupboard
  22. prune — to trim
  23. sharp — with an edge
  24. cabinet — ministers

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