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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. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  3. The light ________________ burned out.
  4. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  5. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  6. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  7. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  8. I've got to change the light ________________.
  9. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  10. When will it ________________ you to start?
  11. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  12. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  13. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  14. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  15. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  16. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  17. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  18. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  19. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  20. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  21. That must've been a ________________.
  22. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  23. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  24. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.

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. rest — what's left
  3. bulb — for light
  4. suit — in cards
  5. row — a quarrel
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. wake — a trail
  8. bulb — for light
  9. rush — to hurry
  10. suit — to fit
  11. bulb — of a plant
  12. rest — a break
  13. rush — hurry
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. suit — clothes
  16. band — a ring
  17. row — a line
  18. wake — before a funeral
  19. wake — to stop sleeping
  20. row — to paddle
  21. rush — a thrill
  22. band — a music group
  23. band — a rubber band
  24. rest — what's left

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