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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. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  2. We're almost out of ________________.
  3. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  4. This piece is in a major ________________.
  5. The King held a masked ________________.
  6. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  7. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  8. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  9. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  10. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  11. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  12. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  13. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  14. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  15. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  16. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  17. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  18. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  19. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  20. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  21. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  22. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  23. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  24. You don't need to ________________ round.

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. pop — soda
  3. lash — an eyelash
  4. key — in music
  5. ball — a dance
  6. scale — for weighing
  7. stick — a piece of wood
  8. stick — a piece of wood
  9. key — for a lock
  10. scale — size or range
  11. pop — music
  12. pit — in a race
  13. clip — to cut
  14. lash — to lash out
  15. clip — for paper
  16. key — the most important part
  17. ball — a great time
  18. clip — a video
  19. pit — a fruit stone
  20. ball — a round shape
  21. lash — a whip stroke
  22. pit — a hole
  23. scale — in music
  24. pop — to visit

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