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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. It's one o'clock ________________.
  3. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  4. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  5. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  6. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  7. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  8. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  9. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  10. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  11. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  12. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  13. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  14. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  15. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  16. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  17. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  18. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  19. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  20. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  21. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  22. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  23. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  24. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.

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. sharp — exactly
  3. pitch — completely
  4. sharp — with an edge
  5. mark — a grade
  6. sharp — clever
  7. racket — a loud noise
  8. foot — part of the body
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. foot — a measure
  11. shower — to wash
  12. shower — rain
  13. pitch — a sports field
  14. racket — for tennis
  15. bark — a dog's sound
  16. mark — to pay attention
  17. racket — for tennis
  18. shower — a meteor shower
  19. foot — the bottom
  20. bark — to shout
  21. pitch — a sales talk
  22. bark — of a tree
  23. stick — a piece of wood
  24. mark — a trace

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