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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 120 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. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  3. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  4. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  5. My father caught me by the ________________.
  6. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  7. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  8. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  9. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  10. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  11. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  12. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  13. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  14. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  15. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  16. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  17. That must've been a ________________.
  18. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  19. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  20. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  21. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  22. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  23. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  24. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.

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. stick — a piece of wood
  3. rush — hurry
  4. object — a thing
  5. arm — part of the body
  6. mouse — for a computer
  7. calf — of the leg
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. wind — to turn a key
  10. stem — of a plant
  11. wind — moving air
  12. stem — a stem cell
  13. stem — to come from
  14. arm — a part of something
  15. arm — part of the body
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. rush — a thrill
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. rush — to hurry
  20. calf — a young animal
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. object — to protest
  23. object — an aim
  24. wind — moving air

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