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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. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  3. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  4. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  5. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  6. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  7. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  8. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  9. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  10. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  11. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  12. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  13. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  14. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  15. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  16. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  17. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  18. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  19. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  20. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  21. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  22. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  23. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  24. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.

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. bass — low music
  3. bass — the fish
  4. content — the amount
  5. cue — a hint
  6. stem — to come from
  7. firm — steady
  8. can — to be able to
  9. can — a tin
  10. face — part of the head
  11. stem — a stem cell
  12. content — videos and posts
  13. bass — the instrument
  14. face — to point toward
  15. firm — a company
  16. firm — decided
  17. stem — of a plant
  18. can — a tin
  19. cue — a signal
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. cue — for pool
  22. stick — a piece of wood
  23. content — happy
  24. face — to confront

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