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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 116 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. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  3. False peace will not ________________.
  4. We're almost out of ________________.
  5. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  6. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  7. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  8. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  9. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  10. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  11. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  12. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  13. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  14. When are we going to ________________?
  15. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  16. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  17. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  18. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  19. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  20. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  21. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  22. You don't need to ________________ round.
  23. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  24. This is the first time I've ever walked with 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. land — a country
  3. last — to go on
  4. pop — soda
  5. bank — for money
  6. can — a tin
  7. pop — music
  8. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. can — to be able to
  11. bank — for money
  12. snap — to click
  13. bank — of a river
  14. land — to come down
  15. kid — child
  16. last — final
  17. last — finally
  18. can — a tin
  19. kid — to tease
  20. land — ground
  21. snap — to snap out of it
  22. pop — to visit
  23. snap — to speak sharply
  24. stick — a piece of wood

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