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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. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  3. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  4. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  5. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  6. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  7. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  8. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  9. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  10. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  11. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  12. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  13. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  14. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  15. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  16. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  17. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  18. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  19. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  20. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  21. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  22. That must've been a ________________.
  23. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  24. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.

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. craft — boats
  3. snap — to snap out of it
  4. fall — to drop
  5. patient — calm and waiting
  6. craft — a handicraft
  7. fall — to drop
  8. object — a thing
  9. calf — of the leg
  10. fall — the season
  11. patient — a sick person
  12. rush — hurry
  13. object — to protest
  14. rush — to hurry
  15. snap — to speak sharply
  16. patient — a sick person
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. calf — a young animal
  19. snap — to click
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. object — an aim
  22. rush — a thrill
  23. craft — a skill
  24. calf — a young animal

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