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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 elephant has a huge ________________.
  3. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  4. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  5. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  6. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  7. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  8. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  9. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  10. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  11. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  12. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  13. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  14. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  15. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  16. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  17. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  18. David sat on the ________________.
  19. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  20. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  21. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  22. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  23. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  24. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.

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. trunk — of an elephant
  3. deal — an agreement
  4. trunk — of a car
  5. pitch — a sports field
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. deal — a big deal
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. bat — for baseball
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. trunk — of a tree
  14. bat — in an idiom
  15. deal — to handle
  16. swing — music
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. swing — to play on
  19. swing — in golf
  20. pitch — a sales talk
  21. safe — a strongbox
  22. lie — to recline
  23. bat — the animal
  24. pitch — completely

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