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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. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  3. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  4. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  5. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  6. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  7. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  8. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  9. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  10. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  11. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  12. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  13. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  14. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  15. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  16. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  17. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  18. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  19. Did you ________________ the meat?
  20. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  21. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  22. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  23. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  24. Let us try to swim against the ________________.

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. racket — a loud noise
  3. stick — a piece of wood
  4. dip — a sauce
  5. band — a rubber band
  6. season — of the year
  7. current — happening now
  8. track — a path
  9. current — electric
  10. racket — for tennis
  11. season — in sport
  12. object — to protest
  13. track — to keep track
  14. band — a ring
  15. dip — to sink
  16. object — a thing
  17. dip — to dunk
  18. object — an aim
  19. season — to add flavour
  20. racket — for tennis
  21. stick — a piece of wood
  22. band — a music group
  23. track — a song
  24. current — of water

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