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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. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  3. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  4. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  5. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  6. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  7. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  8. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  9. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  10. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  11. He works in a ________________ mill.
  12. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  13. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  14. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  15. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  16. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  17. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  18. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  19. She's very handy with a ________________.
  20. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  21. What do you think of the new ________________?
  22. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  23. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  24. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.

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. rest — what's left
  4. stick — a piece of wood
  5. degree — an amount
  6. cabinet — a cupboard
  7. rest — a break
  8. degree — from a university
  9. track — to keep track
  10. rest — what's left
  11. saw — the tool
  12. track — a path
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. bat — in an idiom
  16. degree — temperature
  17. bat — for baseball
  18. saw — past of 'see'
  19. saw — the tool
  20. track — a song
  21. cabinet — ministers
  22. fan — a supporter
  23. fan — to cool the air
  24. bat — the animal

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