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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. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  3. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  4. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  5. The water is too ________________.
  6. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  7. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  8. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  9. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  10. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  11. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  12. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  13. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  14. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  15. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  16. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  17. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  18. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  19. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  20. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  21. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  22. When was this ________________ built?
  23. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  24. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.

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. vault — in gymnastics
  4. spring — the season
  5. cold — not warm
  6. cold — the Cold War
  7. temple — a place of worship
  8. pit — a hole
  9. snap — to speak sharply
  10. jam — in traffic
  11. pit — a fruit stone
  12. snap — to snap out of it
  13. stick — a piece of wood
  14. jam — a tight spot
  15. cold — an illness
  16. vault — an arched ceiling
  17. temple — side of the head
  18. spring — of water
  19. vault — a safe
  20. pit — in a race
  21. spring — a coil
  22. temple — a place of worship
  23. jam — to spread on bread
  24. snap — to click

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