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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 116 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. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  2. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  3. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  4. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  5. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  6. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  7. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  8. Don't do anything ________________.
  9. False peace will not ________________.
  10. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  11. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  12. My mare is ________________ in color.
  13. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  14. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  15. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  16. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  17. That was ________________ to happen.
  18. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — to bend
  2. bound — obliged
  3. fall — to drop
  4. last — finally
  5. rash — on the skin
  6. bound — tied together
  7. fall — the season
  8. rash — hasty
  9. last — to go on
  10. lean — to rest against
  11. bay — a part of the sea
  12. bay — a horse colour
  13. last — final
  14. rash — a series
  15. bay — to keep at bay
  16. lean — thin
  17. bound — certain
  18. fall — to drop

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