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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. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  2. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  3. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  4. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  5. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  6. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  7. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  8. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  9. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  10. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  11. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  12. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  13. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  14. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  15. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  16. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  17. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  18. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  19. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  20. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  21. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  22. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  23. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  24. Would you like some apricot ________________?

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. rock — to move gently
  2. stick — a piece of wood
  3. stick — to attach or keep to
  4. rock — a stone
  5. cap — of ice
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. branch — a division
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. cap — a lid
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. branch — of a bank
  12. patient — a sick person
  13. lie — to recline
  14. jam — a tight spot
  15. drill — a practice
  16. drill — the tool
  17. patient — a sick person
  18. cap — a hat
  19. rock — music
  20. patient — calm and waiting
  21. branch — of a tree
  22. jam — in traffic
  23. drill — army training
  24. jam — to spread on bread

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