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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.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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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. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  3. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  4. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  5. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  6. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  7. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  8. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  9. Did you ________________ the button?
  10. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  11. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  12. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  13. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  14. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  15. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  16. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  17. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  18. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  19. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  20. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  21. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  22. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  23. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  24. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.

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. current — happening now
  3. mine — belonging to me
  4. snap — to speak sharply
  5. snap — to click
  6. fork — a garden tool
  7. root — of a word
  8. snap — to snap out of it
  9. press — to push
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. object — an aim
  12. current — of water
  13. press — a publisher
  14. object — to protest
  15. current — electric
  16. mine — an explosive
  17. root — the cause
  18. object — a thing
  19. mine — for digging
  20. fork — to eat with
  21. root — of a plant
  22. press — newspapers
  23. fork — in a road
  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