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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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Word bank
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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. That must've been a ________________.
  2. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  3. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  4. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  5. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  6. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  7. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  8. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  9. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  10. That was ________________ to happen.
  11. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  12. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  13. He is an ace ________________.
  14. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  15. Where did you ________________ them?
  16. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  17. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  18. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  19. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  20. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  21. When will it ________________ you to start?
  22. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  23. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  24. We are ________________ to obey laws.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — a thrill
  2. lean — to bend
  3. hide — to keep secret
  4. lean — to rest against
  5. hide — to keep secret
  6. rush — to hurry
  7. pitcher — a jug
  8. bark — of a tree
  9. mug — a cup
  10. bound — certain
  11. lean — thin
  12. bark — to shout
  13. pitcher — in baseball
  14. suit — in cards
  15. mug — to rob
  16. rush — hurry
  17. bark — a dog's sound
  18. bound — tied together
  19. hide — animal skin
  20. suit — clothes
  21. suit — to fit
  22. mug — a face
  23. pitcher — a jug
  24. bound — obliged

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