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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. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  3. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  4. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  5. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  6. Have you settled on a ________________?
  7. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  8. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  9. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  10. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  11. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  12. That was ________________ to happen.
  13. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  14. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  15. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  16. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  17. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  18. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  19. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  20. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  21. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  22. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  23. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  24. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — to rest against
  2. pitch — a sports field
  3. hide — to keep secret
  4. pitch — a sales talk
  5. pitch — completely
  6. date — on the calendar
  7. mine — belonging to me
  8. mine — an explosive
  9. mine — for digging
  10. bound — obliged
  11. fine — all right
  12. bound — certain
  13. lean — to bend
  14. date — on the calendar
  15. pit — a hole
  16. hide — to keep secret
  17. lean — thin
  18. pit — in a race
  19. hide — animal skin
  20. pit — a fruit stone
  21. fine — a penalty
  22. bound — tied together
  23. fine — high quality
  24. date — the fruit

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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