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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. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  3. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  4. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  5. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  6. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  7. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  8. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  9. The ________________ market has crashed.
  10. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  11. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  12. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  13. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  14. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  15. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  16. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  17. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  18. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  19. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  20. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  21. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  22. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  23. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  24. What's the difference between broth and ________________?

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. lean — to bend
  3. file — a line of people
  4. hand — help
  5. hand — part of the body
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. stock — goods
  8. file — a document
  9. stock — shares
  10. racket — for tennis
  11. fine — all right
  12. deal — a big deal
  13. fine — high quality
  14. hand — in cards
  15. lean — to rest against
  16. lean — thin
  17. file — a tool
  18. racket — for tennis
  19. stick — a piece of wood
  20. racket — a loud noise
  21. deal — an agreement
  22. fine — a penalty
  23. deal — to handle
  24. stock — a soup base

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