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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. He is an ace ________________.
  3. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  4. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  5. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  6. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  7. When are we going to ________________?
  8. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  9. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  10. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  11. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  12. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  13. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  14. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  15. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  16. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  17. Did you ________________ the button?
  18. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  19. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  20. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  21. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  22. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  23. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  24. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.

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. pitcher — in baseball
  3. pound — to hit hard
  4. pound — a weight
  5. land — ground
  6. pass — a permit
  7. land — to come down
  8. press — a publisher
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. land — a country
  12. hand — help
  13. pass — to spend time
  14. hand — part of the body
  15. pitcher — a jug
  16. pitcher — a jug
  17. press — to push
  18. press — newspapers
  19. hand — in cards
  20. pound — for dogs
  21. scale — for weighing
  22. scale — in music
  23. scale — size or range
  24. pass — to succeed

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