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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 120 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. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  3. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  4. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  5. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  6. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  7. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  8. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  9. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  10. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  11. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  12. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  13. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  14. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  15. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  16. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  17. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  18. The ________________ took off on time.
  19. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  20. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  21. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  22. Where did you ________________ them?
  23. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  24. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.

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. bore — gave birth
  3. bat — the animal
  4. clip — for paper
  5. stick — a piece of wood
  6. bat — for baseball
  7. firm — decided
  8. bat — in an idiom
  9. chip — to eat
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. firm — steady
  12. bore — to tire
  13. firm — a company
  14. bore — to drill
  15. mug — a cup
  16. chip — for betting
  17. plane — in geometry
  18. plane — an aircraft
  19. chip — in a computer
  20. clip — to cut
  21. plane — a tool
  22. mug — to rob
  23. clip — a video
  24. mug — a face

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