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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. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  3. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  4. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  5. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  6. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  7. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  8. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  9. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  10. Have you met the new head ________________?
  11. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  12. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  13. There's no middle ________________.
  14. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  15. He is an ace ________________.
  16. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  17. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  18. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  19. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  20. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  21. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  22. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  23. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  24. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.

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. ground — crushed
  3. pitcher — a jug
  4. clip — to cut
  5. stick — a piece of wood
  6. mark — a grade
  7. wave — a sudden rise
  8. coach — pulled by horses
  9. mark — a trace
  10. coach — a trainer
  11. mark — to pay attention
  12. foot — a measure
  13. ground — a position
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. pitcher — in baseball
  16. clip — a video
  17. clip — for paper
  18. foot — part of the body
  19. foot — the bottom
  20. ground — the earth
  21. coach — a trainer
  22. wave — of the sea
  23. wave — with your hand
  24. pitcher — a jug

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