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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. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  2. My mare is ________________ in color.
  3. What do you think of the new ________________?
  4. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  5. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  6. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  7. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  8. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  9. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  10. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  11. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  12. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  13. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  14. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  15. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  16. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  17. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  18. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — to rest against
  2. bay — a horse colour
  3. cabinet — ministers
  4. cabinet — a cupboard
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. ruler — a monarch
  7. stem — a stem cell
  8. lean — thin
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. pass — to succeed
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. lean — to bend
  13. pass — to spend time
  14. stem — of a plant
  15. stem — to come from
  16. bay — a part of the sea
  17. pass — a permit
  18. bay — to keep at bay

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