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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. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  3. When will it ________________ you to start?
  4. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  5. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  6. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  7. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  8. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  9. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  10. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  11. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  12. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  13. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  14. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  15. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  16. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  17. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  18. The ________________ went through the wall.
  19. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  20. That was a fun ________________.
  21. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  22. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  23. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  24. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.

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. hide — animal skin
  3. suit — to fit
  4. hide — to keep secret
  5. game — a kind of play
  6. spring — the season
  7. spring — a coil
  8. wind — moving air
  9. face — to confront
  10. game — wild animals
  11. face — to point toward
  12. suit — in cards
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. face — part of the head
  15. spring — of water
  16. suit — clothes
  17. wind — to turn a key
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. stick — a piece of wood
  20. game — a match
  21. nail — on a finger
  22. hide — to keep secret
  23. stick — a piece of wood
  24. wind — moving air

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