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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. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  2. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  3. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  4. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  5. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  6. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  7. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  8. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  9. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  10. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  11. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  12. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  13. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  14. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  15. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  16. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  17. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  18. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  19. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  20. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  21. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  22. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  23. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  24. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — to go away
  2. fork — to eat with
  3. fork — in a road
  4. kid — child
  5. dip — a sauce
  6. leaves — of a tree
  7. lean — to rest against
  8. dip — to dunk
  9. kid — to tease
  10. lean — thin
  11. board — to get on
  12. leaves — lets stay
  13. board — a flat piece
  14. prune — to trim
  15. lean — to bend
  16. board — a committee
  17. pass — a permit
  18. fork — a garden tool
  19. pass — to spend time
  20. prune — to trim
  21. prune — the fruit
  22. pass — to succeed
  23. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  24. dip — to sink

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