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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. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  3. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  4. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  5. That was ________________ to happen.
  6. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  7. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  8. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  9. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  10. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  11. The ________________ took off on time.
  12. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  13. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  14. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  15. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  16. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  17. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  18. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  19. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  20. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  21. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  22. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  23. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  24. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.

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. cap — of ice
  3. squash — the vegetable
  4. cap — a hat
  5. bound — certain
  6. bore — to tire
  7. clip — for paper
  8. bound — obliged
  9. bound — tied together
  10. clip — to cut
  11. plane — an aircraft
  12. plane — a tool
  13. bore — to drill
  14. track — a song
  15. stick — a piece of wood
  16. track — to keep track
  17. bore — gave birth
  18. clip — a video
  19. cap — a lid
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. track — a path
  22. squash — the sport
  23. squash — to crush
  24. plane — in geometry

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