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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. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  2. When was this ________________ built?
  3. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  4. We're on a ________________ here.
  5. I've got to change the light ________________.
  6. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  7. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  8. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  9. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  10. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  11. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  12. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  13. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  14. The light ________________ burned out.
  15. Did you ________________ the meat?
  16. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  17. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  18. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  19. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  20. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  21. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  22. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  23. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  24. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. lean — to rest against
  2. temple — a place of worship
  3. present — a gift
  4. roll — on a roll
  5. bulb — for light
  6. present — there
  7. roll — a list
  8. season — in sport
  9. wax — for sculpting
  10. chair — a leader
  11. temple — a place of worship
  12. lean — to bend
  13. chair — a professorship
  14. bulb — for light
  15. season — to add flavour
  16. bulb — of a plant
  17. wax — to grow
  18. roll — a cake
  19. temple — side of the head
  20. present — the time now
  21. lean — thin
  22. season — of the year
  23. chair — to sit on
  24. wax — in the ear

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