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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. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  2. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  3. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  4. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  5. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  6. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  7. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  8. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  9. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  10. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  11. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  12. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  13. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  14. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  15. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  16. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  17. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  18. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?

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

Answer key

  1. lean — to rest against
  2. drill — army training
  3. drill — the tool
  4. fan — to cool the air
  5. board — a flat piece
  6. snap — to speak sharply
  7. perch — for a bird
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. snap — to snap out of it
  10. perch — for a bird
  11. snap — to click
  12. lean — to bend
  13. drill — a practice
  14. board — a committee
  15. lean — thin
  16. perch — the fish
  17. board — to get on
  18. fan — a supporter

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