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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. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  2. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  3. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  4. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  5. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  6. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  7. David sat on the ________________.
  8. The ________________ went through the wall.
  9. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  10. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  11. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  12. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  13. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  14. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  15. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  16. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  17. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  18. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  19. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  20. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  21. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  22. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  23. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  24. The tickets are free of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — to rest against
  2. wave — of the sea
  3. mark — to pay attention
  4. swing — music
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. mark — a grade
  7. swing — to play on
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. lean — thin
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. lean — to bend
  12. swing — in golf
  13. mark — a trace
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. nail — on a finger
  16. stick — to attach or keep to
  17. wave — a sudden rise
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. charge — electricity
  20. ruler — a monarch
  21. stick — a piece of wood
  22. wave — with your hand
  23. charge — in control
  24. charge — a price

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