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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. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  3. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  4. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  5. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  6. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  7. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  8. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  9. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  10. She's very handy with a ________________.
  11. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  12. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  13. He works in a ________________ mill.
  14. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  15. The King held a masked ________________.
  16. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  17. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  18. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  19. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  20. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  21. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  22. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  23. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  24. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.

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. bat — in an idiom
  3. staff — a stick
  4. fan — to cool the air
  5. track — a path
  6. bat — the animal
  7. staff — employees
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. ball — a great time
  10. saw — the tool
  11. ball — a round shape
  12. track — to keep track
  13. saw — the tool
  14. root — the cause
  15. ball — a dance
  16. root — of a word
  17. bat — for baseball
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. staff — employees
  21. root — of a plant
  22. saw — past of 'see'
  23. stick — a piece of wood
  24. track — a song

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