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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. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  3. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  4. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  5. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  6. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  7. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  8. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  9. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  10. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  11. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  12. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  13. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  14. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  15. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  16. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  17. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  18. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  19. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  20. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  21. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  22. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  23. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  24. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.

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. stick — a piece of wood
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. hand — part of the body
  5. mark — a trace
  6. deal — an agreement
  7. chair — to sit on
  8. bowl — to roll
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. deal — a big deal
  11. chair — a professorship
  12. chair — a leader
  13. prune — the fruit
  14. prune — to trim
  15. bowl — a dish
  16. hand — help
  17. prune — to trim
  18. mark — to pay attention
  19. mark — a grade
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. deal — to handle
  22. hand — in cards
  23. lie — to recline
  24. bowl — a football final

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