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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. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  2. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  3. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  4. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  5. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  6. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  7. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  8. The ________________ took off on time.
  9. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  10. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  11. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  12. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  13. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  14. What do you think of the new ________________?
  15. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  16. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  17. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  18. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  19. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  20. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  21. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  22. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  23. Have you met the new head ________________?
  24. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — thin
  2. lean — to bend
  3. pass — to spend time
  4. wave — of the sea
  5. foot — the bottom
  6. plane — in geometry
  7. dip — to dunk
  8. plane — an aircraft
  9. foot — part of the body
  10. dip — to sink
  11. coach — pulled by horses
  12. dip — a sauce
  13. plane — a tool
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. pass — to succeed
  16. pass — a permit
  17. coach — a trainer
  18. cabinet — a cupboard
  19. cabinet — ministers
  20. lean — to rest against
  21. foot — a measure
  22. wave — with your hand
  23. coach — a trainer
  24. wave — a sudden rise

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