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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. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  2. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  3. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  4. Don't do anything ________________.
  5. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  6. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  7. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  8. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  9. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  10. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  11. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  12. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  13. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  14. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  15. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  16. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  17. I can't ________________ this cold.
  18. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  19. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  20. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  21. The ________________ took off on time.
  22. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  23. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  24. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.

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. plane — in geometry
  3. wound — an injury
  4. rash — hasty
  5. wound — past of 'wind'
  6. stand — for spectators
  7. wound — an injury
  8. ruler — a monarch
  9. current — happening now
  10. current — of water
  11. stick — a piece of wood
  12. stick — a piece of wood
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. current — electric
  15. capital — money
  16. capital — a big letter
  17. stand — to bear
  18. capital — a city
  19. rash — on the skin
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. plane — an aircraft
  22. stand — on your feet
  23. plane — a tool
  24. rash — a series

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