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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 124 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. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  3. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  4. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  5. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  6. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  7. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  8. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  9. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  10. What do you think of the new ________________?
  11. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  12. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  13. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  14. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  15. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  16. When will it ________________ you to start?
  17. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  18. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  19. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  20. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  21. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  22. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  23. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  24. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — to bend
  2. suit — in cards
  3. lean — thin
  4. bowl — to roll
  5. suit — clothes
  6. pound — a weight
  7. lean — to rest against
  8. cabinet — a cupboard
  9. present — there
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. perch — the fish
  12. bowl — a dish
  13. rule — government
  14. rule — a law
  15. rule — to rule out
  16. suit — to fit
  17. pound — for dogs
  18. perch — for a bird
  19. cabinet — ministers
  20. bowl — a football final
  21. present — a gift
  22. perch — for a bird
  23. pound — to hit hard
  24. present — the time now

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