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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 from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: trunk · mouse · stick · root · clip · deal · mate · firm

  1. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  2. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  3. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  4. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  5. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  6. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  7. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  8. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  9. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  10. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  11. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  12. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  13. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  14. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  15. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  16. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  17. Have you found your soul ________________?
  18. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  19. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  20. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  21. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  22. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  23. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  24. Should I buy a wireless ________________?

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. firm — steady
  3. deal — to handle
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. firm — decided
  7. deal — an agreement
  8. root — of a plant
  9. clip — for paper
  10. clip — a video
  11. stick — a piece of wood
  12. deal — a big deal
  13. trunk — of an elephant
  14. trunk — of a car
  15. trunk — of a tree
  16. firm — a company
  17. mate — a partner
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. mate — a friend
  20. root — the cause
  21. root — of a word
  22. mate — to breed
  23. clip — to cut
  24. mouse — for a computer

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