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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. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  3. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  4. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  5. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  6. My mare is ________________ in color.
  7. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  8. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  9. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  10. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  11. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  12. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  13. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  14. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  15. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  16. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  17. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  18. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  19. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  20. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  21. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  22. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  23. The King held a masked ________________.
  24. Beijing is the ________________ of China.

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. race — the arms race
  3. ball — a great time
  4. leaves — lets stay
  5. stick — a piece of wood
  6. bay — a horse colour
  7. bay — a part of the sea
  8. stick — a piece of wood
  9. leaves — of a tree
  10. leaves — to go away
  11. bay — to keep at bay
  12. trunk — of a car
  13. trunk — of an elephant
  14. rock — music
  15. capital — money
  16. race — humankind
  17. ball — a round shape
  18. trunk — of a tree
  19. race — a contest
  20. rock — to move gently
  21. rock — a stone
  22. capital — a big letter
  23. ball — a dance
  24. capital — a city

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