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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. I'll be taking the ________________.
  3. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  4. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  5. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  6. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  7. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  8. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  9. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  10. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  11. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  12. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  13. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  14. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  15. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  16. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  17. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  18. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  19. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  20. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  21. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  22. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  23. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  24. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.

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. tube — the underground
  3. deal — an agreement
  4. rest — a break
  5. deal — to handle
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. prune — to trim
  8. stick — a piece of wood
  9. fork — to eat with
  10. fork — in a road
  11. stick — a piece of wood
  12. prune — the fruit
  13. bank — for money
  14. deal — a big deal
  15. tube — in a tire
  16. fork — a garden tool
  17. mouse — for a computer
  18. rest — what's left
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. rest — what's left
  21. bank — of a river
  22. tube — a container
  23. prune — to trim
  24. bank — for money

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