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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. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  3. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  4. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  5. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  6. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  7. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  8. When will it ________________ you to start?
  9. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  10. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  11. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  12. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  13. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  14. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  15. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  16. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  17. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  18. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  19. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  20. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  21. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  22. That was ________________ to happen.
  23. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  24. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.

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. prune — to trim
  3. fan — a supporter
  4. suit — clothes
  5. bound — obliged
  6. bound — tied together
  7. band — a rubber band
  8. suit — to fit
  9. cap — of ice
  10. suit — in cards
  11. prune — to trim
  12. lean — to rest against
  13. prune — the fruit
  14. fan — to cool the air
  15. band — a ring
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. lean — to bend
  18. band — a music group
  19. lean — thin
  20. cap — a lid
  21. cap — a hat
  22. bound — certain
  23. stick — a piece of wood
  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