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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. Where did you ________________ them?
  3. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  4. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  5. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  6. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  7. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  8. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  9. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  10. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  11. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  12. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  13. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  14. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  15. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  16. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  17. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  18. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  19. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  20. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  21. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  22. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  23. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  24. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.

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. mug — to rob
  3. pound — a weight
  4. patient — a sick person
  5. hide — to keep secret
  6. hide — animal skin
  7. jam — a tight spot
  8. mug — a cup
  9. patient — calm and waiting
  10. drill — army training
  11. pound — to hit hard
  12. drill — the tool
  13. jam — in traffic
  14. hide — to keep secret
  15. stick — a piece of wood
  16. drill — a practice
  17. bear — the animal
  18. pound — for dogs
  19. patient — a sick person
  20. bear — to put up with
  21. mug — a face
  22. bear — the animal
  23. jam — to spread on bread
  24. stick — a piece of wood

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