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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. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  3. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  4. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  5. My mare is ________________ in color.
  6. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  7. That was a fun ________________.
  8. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  9. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  10. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  11. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  12. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  13. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  14. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  15. When was this ________________ built?
  16. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  17. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  18. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  19. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  20. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  21. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  22. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  23. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  24. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.

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. drill — a practice
  3. mark — to pay attention
  4. fall — to drop
  5. bay — a horse colour
  6. game — wild animals
  7. game — a match
  8. mark — a trace
  9. patient — a sick person
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. drill — the tool
  12. patient — calm and waiting
  13. fall — the season
  14. patient — a sick person
  15. temple — a place of worship
  16. temple — a place of worship
  17. bay — a part of the sea
  18. game — a kind of play
  19. temple — side of the head
  20. bay — to keep at bay
  21. mark — a grade
  22. stick — a piece of wood
  23. fall — to drop
  24. drill — army training

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