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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. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  3. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  4. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  5. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  6. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  7. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  8. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  9. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  10. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  11. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  12. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  13. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  14. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  15. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  16. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  17. I'll be taking the ________________.
  18. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  19. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  20. That was ________________ to happen.
  21. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  22. Have you found your soul ________________?
  23. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  24. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.

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. bound — obliged
  3. stick — a piece of wood
  4. bound — tied together
  5. object — to protest
  6. mate — to breed
  7. mate — a friend
  8. tube — a container
  9. prune — to trim
  10. prune — the fruit
  11. stick — a piece of wood
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. mouse — for a computer
  14. root — of a word
  15. tube — in a tire
  16. prune — to trim
  17. tube — the underground
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. object — an aim
  20. bound — certain
  21. root — of a plant
  22. mate — a partner
  23. object — a thing
  24. root — the cause

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