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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. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  2. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  3. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  4. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  5. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  6. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  7. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  8. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  9. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  10. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  11. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  12. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  13. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  14. The water is too ________________.
  15. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  16. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  17. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  18. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  19. I can't ________________ this cold.
  20. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  21. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  22. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  23. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  24. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.

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

Answer key

  1. snap — to speak sharply
  2. stick — to attach or keep to
  3. stick — a piece of wood
  4. stand — on your feet
  5. drill — a practice
  6. root — of a plant
  7. stick — a piece of wood
  8. drill — the tool
  9. pass — a permit
  10. mouse — the animal
  11. mouse — for a computer
  12. drill — army training
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. cold — not warm
  15. root — of a word
  16. stand — for spectators
  17. cold — an illness
  18. snap — to click
  19. stand — to bear
  20. root — the cause
  21. pass — to spend time
  22. cold — the Cold War
  23. snap — to snap out of it
  24. pass — to succeed

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