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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 116 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. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  3. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  4. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  5. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  6. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  7. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  8. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  9. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  10. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  11. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  12. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  13. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  14. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  15. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  16. When will it ________________ you to start?
  17. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  18. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  19. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  20. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  21. That was ________________ to happen.
  22. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  23. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  24. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — a piece of wood
  2. fine — high quality
  3. current — electric
  4. fork — a garden tool
  5. fine — all right
  6. squash — to crush
  7. bound — obliged
  8. current — happening now
  9. suit — in cards
  10. fork — in a road
  11. stick — a piece of wood
  12. suit — clothes
  13. bound — tied together
  14. root — of a plant
  15. fine — a penalty
  16. suit — to fit
  17. current — of water
  18. fork — to eat with
  19. squash — the vegetable
  20. root — the cause
  21. bound — certain
  22. root — of a word
  23. squash — the sport
  24. stick — to attach or keep to

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