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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 120 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. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  3. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  4. We're almost out of ________________.
  5. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  6. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  7. I'll be taking the ________________.
  8. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  9. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  10. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  11. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  12. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  13. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  14. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  15. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  16. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  17. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  18. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  19. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  20. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  21. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  22. You don't need to ________________ round.
  23. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  24. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.

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. bass — the fish
  3. bass — low music
  4. pop — soda
  5. pound — a weight
  6. tube — a container
  7. tube — the underground
  8. lean — to rest against
  9. bass — the instrument
  10. craft — boats
  11. tube — in a tire
  12. snap — to snap out of it
  13. pound — for dogs
  14. pound — to hit hard
  15. lean — to bend
  16. lean — thin
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. snap — to click
  19. pop — music
  20. craft — a skill
  21. craft — a handicraft
  22. pop — to visit
  23. stick — a piece of wood
  24. snap — to speak sharply

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