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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 don't want to ________________ the boat.
  3. Don't do anything ________________.
  4. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  5. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  6. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  7. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  8. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  9. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  10. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  11. The King held a masked ________________.
  12. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  13. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  14. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  15. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  16. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  17. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  18. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  19. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  20. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  21. I can't ________________ this cold.
  22. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  23. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  24. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — thin
  2. rock — to move gently
  3. rash — hasty
  4. craft — boats
  5. craft — a skill
  6. stand — on your feet
  7. rock — a stone
  8. rash — on the skin
  9. rock — music
  10. craft — a handicraft
  11. ball — a dance
  12. ball — a great time
  13. ball — a round shape
  14. rash — a series
  15. bear — to put up with
  16. cue — a hint
  17. stand — for spectators
  18. bear — the animal
  19. cue — a signal
  20. bear — the animal
  21. stand — to bear
  22. cue — for pool
  23. lean — to bend
  24. lean — to rest against

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