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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. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  3. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  4. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  5. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  6. This piece is in a major ________________.
  7. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  8. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  9. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  10. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  11. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  12. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  13. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  14. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  15. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  16. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  17. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  18. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  19. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  20. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  21. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  22. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  23. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  24. I assure you, everything's ________________.

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. fine — a penalty
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. shower — a meteor shower
  5. shower — rain
  6. key — in music
  7. fine — high quality
  8. lie — to recline
  9. race — humankind
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. lean — thin
  12. lean — to bend
  13. key — the most important part
  14. shower — to wash
  15. race — the arms race
  16. net — in sport
  17. race — a contest
  18. net — after costs
  19. key — for a lock
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. net — for catching
  22. lean — to rest against
  23. stick — a piece of wood
  24. fine — all right

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