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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 116 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. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  3. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  4. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  5. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  6. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  7. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  8. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  9. How do you ________________ your surname?
  10. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  11. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  12. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  13. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  14. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  15. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  16. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  17. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  18. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  19. I'll be taking the ________________.
  20. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  21. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  22. The ________________ market has crashed.
  23. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  24. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.

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. spell — magic
  3. tube — a container
  4. branch — of a bank
  5. lie — to recline
  6. branch — a division
  7. tear — to rip
  8. stock — a soup base
  9. spell — letters
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. tube — in a tire
  12. spell — a short time
  13. stock — goods
  14. tear — from crying
  15. root — of a word
  16. root — the cause
  17. tear — from crying
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. tube — the underground
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. branch — of a tree
  22. stock — shares
  23. stick — a piece of wood
  24. root — of a plant

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