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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 116 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. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  2. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  3. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  4. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  5. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  6. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  7. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  8. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  9. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  10. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  11. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  12. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  13. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  14. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  15. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  16. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  17. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  18. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  19. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  20. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  21. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  22. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  23. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  24. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — a company
  2. firm — steady
  3. leaves — to go away
  4. lean — thin
  5. lean — to rest against
  6. rule — government
  7. rule — a law
  8. kid — child
  9. rest — what's left
  10. leaves — of a tree
  11. board — to get on
  12. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  13. firm — decided
  14. lash — to lash out
  15. board — a flat piece
  16. leaves — lets stay
  17. lash — an eyelash
  18. lash — a whip stroke
  19. rule — to rule out
  20. kid — to tease
  21. rest — what's left
  22. rest — a break
  23. board — a committee
  24. lean — to bend

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