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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. When was this ________________ built?
  3. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  4. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  5. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  6. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  7. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  8. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  9. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  10. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  11. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  12. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  13. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  14. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  15. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  16. Did you ________________ the button?
  17. What do you think of the new ________________?
  18. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  19. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  20. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  21. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  22. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  23. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  24. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.

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. temple — a place of worship
  3. wind — to turn a key
  4. temple — side of the head
  5. cabinet — a cupboard
  6. march — music
  7. march — the month
  8. temple — a place of worship
  9. lean — thin
  10. lean — to bend
  11. stick — a piece of wood
  12. wind — moving air
  13. press — a publisher
  14. wind — moving air
  15. track — a path
  16. press — to push
  17. cabinet — ministers
  18. lean — to rest against
  19. stick — a piece of wood
  20. cabinet — ministers
  21. press — newspapers
  22. march — the month
  23. track — to keep track
  24. track — a song

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