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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.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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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. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  3. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  4. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  5. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  6. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  7. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  8. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  9. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  10. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  11. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  12. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  13. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  14. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  15. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  16. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  17. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  18. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  19. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  20. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  21. I'll be taking the ________________.
  22. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  23. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  24. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.

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. rule — a law
  3. perch — for a bird
  4. wind — moving air
  5. deal — an agreement
  6. deal — a big deal
  7. rule — to rule out
  8. present — a gift
  9. tube — a container
  10. fan — a supporter
  11. stick — a piece of wood
  12. stick — a piece of wood
  13. present — the time now
  14. present — there
  15. perch — the fish
  16. perch — for a bird
  17. tube — in a tire
  18. rule — government
  19. deal — to handle
  20. wind — moving air
  21. tube — the underground
  22. fan — to cool the air
  23. fan — a supporter
  24. wind — to turn a key

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