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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. Did you ________________ the meat?
  3. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  4. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  5. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  6. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  7. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  8. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  9. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  10. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  11. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  12. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  13. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  14. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  15. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  16. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  17. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  18. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  19. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  20. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  21. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  22. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  23. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  24. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.

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 — to add flavour
  3. season — in sport
  4. stick — a piece of wood
  5. season — of the year
  6. prune — to trim
  7. prune — the fruit
  8. bank — of a river
  9. staff — employees
  10. content — happy
  11. hand — in cards
  12. content — videos and posts
  13. staff — employees
  14. prune — to trim
  15. lie — to recline
  16. hand — help
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. bank — for money
  19. stick — a piece of wood
  20. staff — a stick
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. content — the amount
  23. bank — for money
  24. hand — part of the body

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