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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. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  2. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  3. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  4. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  5. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  6. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  7. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  8. My mare is ________________ in color.
  9. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  10. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  11. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  12. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  13. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  14. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  15. When will it ________________ you to start?
  16. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  17. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  18. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  19. Did you ________________ the button?
  20. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  21. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  22. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  23. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  24. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — thin
  2. fine — all right
  3. bay — a part of the sea
  4. wake — to stop sleeping
  5. kick — a thrill
  6. lean — to rest against
  7. wake — before a funeral
  8. bay — a horse colour
  9. kick — with a leg
  10. suit — clothes
  11. bay — to keep at bay
  12. press — newspapers
  13. bore — to drill
  14. bore — gave birth
  15. suit — to fit
  16. lean — to bend
  17. press — a publisher
  18. kick — in football
  19. press — to push
  20. wake — a trail
  21. fine — high quality
  22. bore — to tire
  23. suit — in cards
  24. fine — a penalty

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