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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. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  3. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  4. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  5. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  6. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  7. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  8. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  9. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  10. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  11. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  12. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  13. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  14. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  15. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  16. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  17. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  18. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  19. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  20. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  21. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  22. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  23. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  24. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.

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. chest — of your body
  3. chest — of your body
  4. deal — to handle
  5. cap — a lid
  6. branch — a division
  7. branch — of a bank
  8. stick — a piece of wood
  9. prune — to trim
  10. cap — of ice
  11. cap — a hat
  12. branch — of a tree
  13. deal — a big deal
  14. fan — to cool the air
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. deal — an agreement
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. prune — the fruit
  19. fine — a penalty
  20. fine — all right
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. fine — high quality
  23. prune — to trim
  24. chest — a box

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