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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. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  2. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  3. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  4. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  5. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  6. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  7. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  8. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  9. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  10. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  11. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  12. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  13. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  14. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  15. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  16. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  17. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  18. Did you ________________ the meat?
  19. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  20. What do you think of the new ________________?
  21. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  22. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  23. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  24. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — thin
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. lean — to bend
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. foot — a measure
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. season — in sport
  8. lie — to recline
  9. foot — part of the body
  10. field — farmland
  11. pass — a permit
  12. field — for sport
  13. pass — to spend time
  14. root — the cause
  15. field — a subject
  16. root — of a word
  17. cabinet — a cupboard
  18. season — to add flavour
  19. pass — to succeed
  20. cabinet — ministers
  21. season — of the year
  22. foot — the bottom
  23. lean — to rest against
  24. root — of a plant

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