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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. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  2. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  3. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  4. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  5. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  6. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  7. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  8. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  9. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  10. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  11. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  12. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  13. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  14. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  15. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  16. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  17. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  18. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  19. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  20. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  21. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  22. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  23. David sat on the ________________.
  24. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — all right
  2. lean — to rest against
  3. leaves — lets stay
  4. bowl — to roll
  5. lash — an eyelash
  6. leaves — to go away
  7. lean — thin
  8. fine — a penalty
  9. wound — past of 'wind'
  10. lash — to lash out
  11. fine — high quality
  12. rock — music
  13. rock — a stone
  14. leaves — of a tree
  15. swing — in golf
  16. rock — to move gently
  17. swing — music
  18. bowl — a dish
  19. wound — an injury
  20. bowl — a football final
  21. lash — a whip stroke
  22. wound — an injury
  23. swing — to play on
  24. 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