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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 pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  3. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  4. Don't do anything ________________.
  5. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  6. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  7. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  8. There's no middle ________________.
  9. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  10. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  11. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  12. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  13. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  14. That was a fun ________________.
  15. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  16. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  17. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  18. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  19. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  20. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  21. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  22. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  23. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  24. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.

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. game — wild animals
  3. ground — the earth
  4. rash — hasty
  5. clip — a video
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. rash — a series
  8. ground — a position
  9. game — a kind of play
  10. clip — to cut
  11. board — a flat piece
  12. scale — in music
  13. stick — a piece of wood
  14. game — a match
  15. scale — size or range
  16. bear — the animal
  17. rash — on the skin
  18. board — a committee
  19. bear — the animal
  20. scale — for weighing
  21. bear — to put up with
  22. ground — crushed
  23. clip — for paper
  24. board — to get on

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