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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.

Make a worksheet

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. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  3. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  4. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  5. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  6. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  7. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  8. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  9. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  10. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  11. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  12. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  13. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  14. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  15. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  16. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  17. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  18. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — to rest against
  2. board — a committee
  3. cap — a hat
  4. snap — to speak sharply
  5. rock — to move gently
  6. safe — a strongbox
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. rock — a stone
  9. lean — to bend
  10. cap — of ice
  11. board — to get on
  12. cap — a lid
  13. board — a flat piece
  14. snap — to click
  15. rock — music
  16. snap — to snap out of it
  17. lean — thin
  18. safe — out of danger

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