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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. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  3. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  4. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  5. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  6. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  7. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  8. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  9. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  10. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  11. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  12. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  13. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  14. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  15. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  16. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  17. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  18. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  19. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  20. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  21. The tickets are free of ________________.
  22. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  23. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  24. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.

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. lie — to recline
  3. stick — a piece of wood
  4. wax — to grow
  5. field — farmland
  6. rest — what's left
  7. charge — in control
  8. rest — what's left
  9. wax — in the ear
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. field — for sport
  13. fork — in a road
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. trunk — of an elephant
  16. fork — a garden tool
  17. wax — for sculpting
  18. trunk — of a tree
  19. charge — electricity
  20. field — a subject
  21. charge — a price
  22. rest — a break
  23. trunk — of a car
  24. fork — to eat with

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