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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.

Words on the sheet
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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. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  2. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  3. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  4. Have you found your soul ________________?
  5. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  6. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  7. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  8. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  9. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  10. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  11. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  12. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  13. The ________________ market has crashed.
  14. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  15. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  16. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  17. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  18. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?

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

Answer key

  1. lean — thin
  2. lean — to rest against
  3. spring — a coil
  4. mate — a partner
  5. spring — of water
  6. squash — the sport
  7. lean — to bend
  8. spring — the season
  9. squash — to crush
  10. object — a thing
  11. mate — a friend
  12. squash — the vegetable
  13. stock — shares
  14. mate — to breed
  15. stock — a soup base
  16. object — an aim
  17. stock — goods
  18. object — to protest

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