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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. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  3. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  4. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  5. How do you ________________ your surname?
  6. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  7. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  8. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  9. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  10. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  11. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  12. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  13. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  14. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  15. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  16. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  17. Did you ________________ the meat?
  18. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  19. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  20. I'll be taking the ________________.
  21. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  22. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  23. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  24. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.

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. season — of the year
  3. lie — to recline
  4. spell — a short time
  5. spell — letters
  6. season — in sport
  7. fan — a supporter
  8. capital — money
  9. tube — a container
  10. spell — magic
  11. fan — to cool the air
  12. capital — a city
  13. craft — boats
  14. craft — a skill
  15. tube — in a tire
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. season — to add flavour
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. tube — the underground
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. lie — an untruth
  23. capital — a big letter
  24. craft — a handicraft

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