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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 120 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. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  2. When was this ________________ built?
  3. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  4. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  5. When will it ________________ you to start?
  6. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  7. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  8. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  9. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  10. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  11. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  12. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  13. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  14. What do you think of the new ________________?
  15. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  16. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  17. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  18. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — in cards
  2. temple — a place of worship
  3. temple — side of the head
  4. lean — to rest against
  5. suit — to fit
  6. straw — a straw man
  7. lean — thin
  8. temple — a place of worship
  9. straw — to clutch at straws
  10. suit — clothes
  11. cabinet — a cupboard
  12. dip — a sauce
  13. dip — to sink
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. straw — dry grass
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. dip — to dunk
  18. lean — to bend

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