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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. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  3. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  4. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  5. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  6. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  7. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  8. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  9. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  10. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  11. My mare is ________________ in color.
  12. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  13. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  14. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  15. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  16. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  17. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  18. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  19. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  20. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  21. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  22. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  23. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  24. He was locked up in a ________________.

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. wound — past of 'wind'
  3. pound — to hit hard
  4. stick — a piece of wood
  5. wound — an injury
  6. pound — for dogs
  7. row — a line
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. bay — a part of the sea
  10. cue — for pool
  11. bay — a horse colour
  12. cue — a hint
  13. stick — a piece of wood
  14. row — a quarrel
  15. row — to paddle
  16. safe — a strongbox
  17. cue — a signal
  18. cell — a phone
  19. bay — to keep at bay
  20. safe — out of danger
  21. cell — in biology
  22. pound — a weight
  23. wound — an injury
  24. cell — in a prison

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