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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. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  3. It's one o'clock ________________.
  4. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  5. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  6. He works in a ________________ mill.
  7. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  8. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  9. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  10. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  11. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  12. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  13. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  14. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  15. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  16. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  17. She's very handy with a ________________.
  18. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  19. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  20. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  21. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  22. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  23. False peace will not ________________.
  24. This is the first time I've ever walked with 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. track — to keep track
  3. sharp — exactly
  4. fall — to drop
  5. track — a path
  6. saw — the tool
  7. last — final
  8. bank — for money
  9. bank — for money
  10. sharp — with an edge
  11. track — a song
  12. sharp — clever
  13. stick — a piece of wood
  14. present — a gift
  15. fall — the season
  16. bank — of a river
  17. saw — the tool
  18. saw — past of 'see'
  19. fall — to drop
  20. present — the time now
  21. last — finally
  22. present — there
  23. last — to go on
  24. stick — a piece of wood

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