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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. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  2. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  3. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  4. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  5. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  6. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  7. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  8. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  9. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  10. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  11. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  12. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  13. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  14. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  15. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  16. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  17. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  18. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  19. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  20. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  21. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  22. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  23. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  24. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. can — to be able to
  2. lean — to rest against
  3. prune — to trim
  4. lean — to bend
  5. can — a tin
  6. race — a contest
  7. firm — a company
  8. race — the arms race
  9. board — a flat piece
  10. fine — all right
  11. mark — a trace
  12. mark — a grade
  13. board — a committee
  14. fine — a penalty
  15. prune — to trim
  16. can — a tin
  17. lean — thin
  18. fine — high quality
  19. prune — the fruit
  20. firm — decided
  21. board — to get on
  22. mark — to pay attention
  23. firm — steady
  24. race — humankind

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