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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. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  2. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  3. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  4. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  5. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  6. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  7. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  8. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  9. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  10. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  11. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  12. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  13. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  14. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  15. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  16. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  17. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  18. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  19. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  20. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  21. When will it ________________ you to start?
  22. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  23. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  24. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.

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. lean — to rest against
  3. squash — the sport
  4. suit — in cards
  5. lean — to bend
  6. suit — clothes
  7. march — the month
  8. cap — a lid
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. march — music
  11. track — to keep track
  12. fine — a penalty
  13. track — a path
  14. squash — to crush
  15. fine — high quality
  16. squash — the vegetable
  17. fine — all right
  18. lean — thin
  19. cap — of ice
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. suit — to fit
  22. cap — a hat
  23. track — a song
  24. march — the month

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