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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. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  3. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  4. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  5. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  6. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  7. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  8. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  9. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  10. My mare is ________________ in color.
  11. You don't need to ________________ round.
  12. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  13. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  14. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  15. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  16. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  17. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  18. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  19. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  20. The tickets are free of ________________.
  21. We're almost out of ________________.
  22. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  23. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  24. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.

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. fall — to drop
  3. stick — a piece of wood
  4. patient — a sick person
  5. patient — calm and waiting
  6. branch — a division
  7. clip — a video
  8. bay — a part of the sea
  9. fall — to drop
  10. bay — a horse colour
  11. pop — to visit
  12. branch — of a tree
  13. clip — to cut
  14. clip — for paper
  15. fall — the season
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. pop — music
  18. charge — in control
  19. patient — a sick person
  20. charge — a price
  21. pop — soda
  22. bay — to keep at bay
  23. charge — electricity
  24. branch — of a bank

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