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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. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  3. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  4. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  5. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  6. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  7. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  8. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  9. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  10. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  11. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  12. Have you met the new head ________________?
  13. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  14. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  15. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  16. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  17. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  18. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  19. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  20. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  21. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  22. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  23. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  24. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.

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. net — in sport
  3. stick — a piece of wood
  4. band — a ring
  5. net — for catching
  6. coach — a trainer
  7. band — a music group
  8. fall — to drop
  9. net — after costs
  10. root — the cause
  11. mark — to pay attention
  12. coach — a trainer
  13. fall — to drop
  14. kick — in football
  15. root — of a plant
  16. coach — pulled by horses
  17. band — a rubber band
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. mark — a trace
  20. root — of a word
  21. kick — a thrill
  22. mark — a grade
  23. kick — with a leg
  24. fall — the season

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