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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 asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  3. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  4. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  5. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  6. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  7. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  8. How do you ________________ your surname?
  9. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  10. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  11. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  12. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  13. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  14. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  15. We're almost out of ________________.
  16. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  17. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  18. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  19. You don't need to ________________ round.
  20. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  21. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  22. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  23. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  24. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.

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. spell — magic
  3. fall — the season
  4. stick — a piece of wood
  5. stick — a piece of wood
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. bank — for money
  8. spell — letters
  9. wound — an injury
  10. fall — to drop
  11. wound — past of 'wind'
  12. trunk — of an elephant
  13. trunk — of a car
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. pop — soda
  16. trunk — of a tree
  17. spell — a short time
  18. wound — an injury
  19. pop — to visit
  20. calf — of the leg
  21. pop — music
  22. bank — for money
  23. fall — to drop
  24. bank — of a river

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