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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. That was ________________ to happen.
  3. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  4. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  5. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  6. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  7. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  8. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  9. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  10. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  11. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  12. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  13. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  14. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  15. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  16. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  17. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  18. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  19. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  20. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  21. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  22. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  23. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  24. We were using a ________________ as a seat.

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. bound — certain
  3. stick — a piece of wood
  4. trunk — of a car
  5. rock — music
  6. object — an aim
  7. track — a song
  8. track — to keep track
  9. object — to protest
  10. object — a thing
  11. squash — to crush
  12. stick — a piece of wood
  13. bound — obliged
  14. squash — the vegetable
  15. track — a path
  16. squash — the sport
  17. root — the cause
  18. bound — tied together
  19. trunk — of an elephant
  20. root — of a word
  21. rock — to move gently
  22. root — of a plant
  23. trunk — of a tree
  24. rock — a stone

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