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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. It's one o'clock ________________.
  3. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  4. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  5. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  6. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  7. The ________________ went through the wall.
  8. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  9. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  10. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  11. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  12. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  13. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  14. There's no middle ________________.
  15. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  16. What do you think of the new ________________?
  17. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  18. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  19. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  20. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  21. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  22. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  23. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  24. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.

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. sharp — exactly
  3. leaves — lets stay
  4. ground — crushed
  5. sharp — with an edge
  6. capital — a big letter
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. track — to keep track
  9. ground — the earth
  10. leaves — to go away
  11. track — a song
  12. nail — on a finger
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. ground — a position
  15. sharp — clever
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. cabinet — a cupboard
  18. capital — money
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. capital — a city
  22. stick — a piece of wood
  23. leaves — of a tree
  24. track — a path

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