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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. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  3. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  4. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  5. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  6. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  7. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  8. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  9. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  10. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  11. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  12. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  13. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  14. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  15. The ________________ went through the wall.
  16. The ball is in your ________________.
  17. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  18. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  19. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  20. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  21. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  22. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  23. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  24. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.

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. stick — a piece of wood
  3. court — of a king
  4. stem — of a plant
  5. stem — to come from
  6. lie — to recline
  7. bass — the instrument
  8. bass — low music
  9. stem — a stem cell
  10. fork — a garden tool
  11. court — of law
  12. bass — the fish
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. pit — a hole
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. court — for sport
  17. nail — on a finger
  18. pit — a fruit stone
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. fork — to eat with
  21. pit — in a race
  22. fork — in a road
  23. lie — an untruth
  24. stick — a piece of wood

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