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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. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  3. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  4. My mare is ________________ in color.
  5. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  6. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  7. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  8. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  9. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  10. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  11. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  12. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  13. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  14. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  15. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  16. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  17. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  18. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  19. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  20. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  21. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  22. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  23. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  24. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.

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. kick — with a leg
  3. content — the amount
  4. bay — a horse colour
  5. pass — a permit
  6. kick — in football
  7. fan — to cool the air
  8. stick — a piece of wood
  9. pass — to succeed
  10. bay — to keep at bay
  11. file — a line of people
  12. stem — to come from
  13. stick — a piece of wood
  14. stem — of a plant
  15. kick — a thrill
  16. bay — a part of the sea
  17. file — a document
  18. file — a tool
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. content — videos and posts
  22. content — happy
  23. stem — a stem cell
  24. pass — to spend time

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