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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. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  3. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  4. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  5. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  6. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  7. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  8. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  9. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  10. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  11. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  12. When will it ________________ you to start?
  13. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  14. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  15. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  16. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  17. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  18. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  19. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  20. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  21. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  22. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  23. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  24. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.

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. stem — of a plant
  3. chest — of your body
  4. straw — dry grass
  5. stick — a piece of wood
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. fork — in a road
  8. fork — to eat with
  9. stem — a stem cell
  10. jam — to spread on bread
  11. suit — in cards
  12. suit — to fit
  13. pit — a fruit stone
  14. suit — clothes
  15. pit — a hole
  16. chest — of your body
  17. chest — a box
  18. jam — a tight spot
  19. straw — to clutch at straws
  20. fork — a garden tool
  21. pit — in a race
  22. straw — a straw man
  23. stem — to come from
  24. jam — in traffic

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