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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. My mare is ________________ in color.
  3. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  4. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  5. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  6. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  7. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  8. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  9. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  10. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  11. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  12. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  13. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  14. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  15. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  16. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  17. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  18. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  19. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  20. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  21. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  22. David sat on the ________________.
  23. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  24. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.

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. bay — a horse colour
  3. stick — a piece of wood
  4. wind — moving air
  5. lash — to lash out
  6. wind — to turn a key
  7. toast — bread
  8. branch — of a tree
  9. wind — moving air
  10. bay — a part of the sea
  11. stick — a piece of wood
  12. branch — a division
  13. lash — a whip stroke
  14. bay — to keep at bay
  15. swing — music
  16. fine — high quality
  17. toast — the most admired
  18. lash — an eyelash
  19. fine — a penalty
  20. branch — of a bank
  21. fine — all right
  22. swing — to play on
  23. toast — a drink to someone
  24. swing — in golf

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