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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. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  2. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  3. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  4. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  5. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  6. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  7. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  8. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  9. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  10. He works in a ________________ mill.
  11. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  12. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  13. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  14. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  15. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  16. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  17. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  18. She's very handy with a ________________.
  19. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  20. The ________________ market has crashed.
  21. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  22. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  23. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  24. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. stick — a piece of wood
  2. toast — bread
  3. track — to keep track
  4. lean — to bend
  5. calf — of the leg
  6. toast — a drink to someone
  7. stick — to attach or keep to
  8. track — a song
  9. object — to protest
  10. saw — the tool
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. saw — past of 'see'
  13. object — an aim
  14. stock — a soup base
  15. stock — goods
  16. toast — the most admired
  17. lean — to rest against
  18. saw — the tool
  19. stick — a piece of wood
  20. stock — shares
  21. track — a path
  22. lean — thin
  23. calf — a young animal
  24. object — a thing

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