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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. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  2. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  3. I'll be taking the ________________.
  4. He works in a ________________ mill.
  5. She's very handy with a ________________.
  6. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  7. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  8. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  9. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  10. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  11. The light ________________ burned out.
  12. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  13. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  14. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  15. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  16. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  17. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  18. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  19. There's no middle ________________.
  20. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  21. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  22. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  23. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  24. I've got to change the light ________________.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. stick — a piece of wood
  2. ground — the earth
  3. tube — the underground
  4. saw — the tool
  5. saw — the tool
  6. staff — employees
  7. tube — a container
  8. staff — employees
  9. stick — to attach or keep to
  10. bulb — of a plant
  11. bulb — for light
  12. mark — a trace
  13. mark — to pay attention
  14. tube — in a tire
  15. fine — a penalty
  16. staff — a stick
  17. mark — a grade
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. ground — a position
  20. fine — high quality
  21. saw — past of 'see'
  22. fine — all right
  23. ground — crushed
  24. bulb — for light

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