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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. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  2. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  3. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  4. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  5. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  6. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  7. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  8. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  9. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  10. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  11. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  12. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  13. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  14. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  15. The ball is in your ________________.
  16. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  17. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  18. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  19. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  20. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  21. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  22. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  23. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  24. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.

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. lean — to bend
  3. court — of a king
  4. lean — thin
  5. racket — for tennis
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. lean — to rest against
  8. ruler — a monarch
  9. firm — steady
  10. wound — an injury
  11. firm — decided
  12. wound — an injury
  13. prune — to trim
  14. court — of law
  15. court — for sport
  16. prune — to trim
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. racket — for tennis
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. wound — past of 'wind'
  21. firm — a company
  22. prune — the fruit
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. racket — a loud noise

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