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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 supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  3. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  4. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  5. How do you ________________ your surname?
  6. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  7. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  8. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  9. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  10. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  11. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  12. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  13. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  14. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  15. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  16. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  17. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  18. There's no middle ________________.
  19. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  20. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  21. The ________________ market has crashed.
  22. That was ________________ to happen.
  23. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  24. He had ________________ pain while walking.

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. stock — goods
  3. wave — of the sea
  4. dip — to sink
  5. spell — letters
  6. stock — a soup base
  7. dip — to dunk
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. ground — crushed
  10. spell — magic
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. dip — a sauce
  13. bound — tied together
  14. wave — with your hand
  15. stick — a piece of wood
  16. bound — obliged
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. ground — a position
  19. ground — the earth
  20. spell — a short time
  21. stock — shares
  22. bound — certain
  23. wave — a sudden rise
  24. calf — of the leg

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