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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. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  3. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  4. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  5. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  6. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  7. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  8. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  9. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  10. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  11. When will it ________________ you to start?
  12. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  13. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  14. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  15. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  16. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  17. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  18. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  19. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  20. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  21. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  22. What do you think of the new ________________?
  23. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  24. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.

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. cabinet — a cupboard
  3. suit — clothes
  4. cabinet — ministers
  5. pound — a weight
  6. hand — in cards
  7. pound — for dogs
  8. capital — a city
  9. suit — in cards
  10. pound — to hit hard
  11. suit — to fit
  12. foot — a measure
  13. capital — money
  14. squash — the vegetable
  15. foot — part of the body
  16. squash — to crush
  17. capital — a big letter
  18. hand — help
  19. squash — the sport
  20. hand — part of the body
  21. foot — the bottom
  22. cabinet — ministers
  23. stick — a piece of wood
  24. stick — a piece of wood

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