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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. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  3. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  4. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  5. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  6. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  7. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  8. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  9. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  10. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  11. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  12. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  13. The water is too ________________.
  14. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  15. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  16. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  17. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  18. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  19. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  20. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  21. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  22. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  23. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  24. My father caught me by the ________________.

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. current — of water
  3. present — there
  4. lean — to rest against
  5. stick — a piece of wood
  6. current — happening now
  7. lean — thin
  8. bowl — a football final
  9. track — a path
  10. cold — an illness
  11. bowl — to roll
  12. track — a song
  13. cold — not warm
  14. arm — part of the body
  15. track — to keep track
  16. present — the time now
  17. current — electric
  18. bowl — a dish
  19. stick — a piece of wood
  20. cold — the Cold War
  21. arm — a part of something
  22. present — a gift
  23. lean — to bend
  24. arm — part of the body

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