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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. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  3. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  4. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  5. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  6. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  7. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  8. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  9. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  10. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  11. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  12. I'll be taking the ________________.
  13. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  14. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  15. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  16. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  17. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  18. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  19. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  20. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  21. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  22. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  23. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  24. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.

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. lean — thin
  3. stick — a piece of wood
  4. pass — a permit
  5. drill — a practice
  6. board — a flat piece
  7. branch — of a bank
  8. pass — to spend time
  9. branch — of a tree
  10. lean — to rest against
  11. branch — a division
  12. tube — the underground
  13. lean — to bend
  14. rock — to move gently
  15. pass — to succeed
  16. board — to get on
  17. drill — the tool
  18. tube — in a tire
  19. board — a committee
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. drill — army training
  22. rock — music
  23. rock — a stone
  24. tube — a container

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