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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. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  2. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  3. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  4. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  5. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  6. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  7. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  8. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  9. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  10. My mare is ________________ in color.
  11. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  12. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  13. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  14. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  15. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  16. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  17. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  18. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  19. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  20. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  21. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  22. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  23. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  24. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — lets stay
  2. lean — to bend
  3. stick — to attach or keep to
  4. fine — all right
  5. face — to confront
  6. fan — to cool the air
  7. face — to point toward
  8. fine — high quality
  9. lean — to rest against
  10. bay — a horse colour
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. bay — a part of the sea
  13. bay — to keep at bay
  14. leaves — to go away
  15. lean — thin
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. fine — a penalty
  18. pit — a fruit stone
  19. face — part of the head
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. leaves — of a tree
  22. pit — in a race
  23. pit — a hole
  24. 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