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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. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  2. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  3. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  4. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  5. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  6. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  7. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  8. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  9. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  10. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  11. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  12. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  13. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  14. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  15. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  16. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  17. The ________________ went through the wall.
  18. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  19. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  20. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  21. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  22. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  23. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  24. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — a piece of wood
  2. jam — to spread on bread
  3. rock — a stone
  4. nail — on a finger
  5. stick — to attach or keep to
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. rock — to move gently
  9. present — the time now
  10. rock — music
  11. jam — in traffic
  12. present — a gift
  13. lie — to recline
  14. present — there
  15. net — for catching
  16. perch — for a bird
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. perch — the fish
  19. jam — a tight spot
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. net — after costs
  22. net — in sport
  23. perch — for a bird
  24. nail — for a hammer

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