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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. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  2. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  3. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  4. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  5. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  6. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  7. Have you found your soul ________________?
  8. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  9. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  10. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  11. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  12. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  13. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  14. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  15. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  16. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  17. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  18. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  19. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  20. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  21. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  22. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  23. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  24. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. stick — a piece of wood
  2. deal — an agreement
  3. deal — to handle
  4. shower — rain
  5. dip — to dunk
  6. jam — in traffic
  7. mate — a partner
  8. dip — a sauce
  9. stem — a stem cell
  10. mate — a friend
  11. mate — to breed
  12. stem — of a plant
  13. deal — a big deal
  14. stem — to come from
  15. jam — a tight spot
  16. jam — to spread on bread
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. pitch — a sports field
  19. dip — to sink
  20. pitch — completely
  21. shower — a meteor shower
  22. shower — to wash
  23. pitch — a sales talk
  24. stick — to attach or keep to

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