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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 120 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 room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  3. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  4. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  5. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  6. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  7. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  8. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  9. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  10. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  11. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  12. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  13. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  14. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  15. When was this ________________ built?
  16. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  17. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  18. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  19. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  20. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  21. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  22. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  23. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  24. The elephant has a huge ________________.

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. pitch — completely
  3. pitch — a sports field
  4. vault — an arched ceiling
  5. temple — side of the head
  6. prune — to trim
  7. stick — a piece of wood
  8. vault — a safe
  9. trunk — of a car
  10. hide — animal skin
  11. vault — in gymnastics
  12. prune — to trim
  13. temple — a place of worship
  14. pit — in a race
  15. temple — a place of worship
  16. pitch — a sales talk
  17. prune — the fruit
  18. hide — to keep secret
  19. stick — a piece of wood
  20. pit — a fruit stone
  21. pit — a hole
  22. trunk — of a tree
  23. hide — to keep secret
  24. trunk — of an elephant

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