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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 120 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. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  2. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  3. The water is too ________________.
  4. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  5. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  6. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  7. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  8. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  9. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  10. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  11. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  12. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  13. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  14. You don't need to ________________ round.
  15. We're almost out of ________________.
  16. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  17. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  18. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  19. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  20. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  21. My father caught me by the ________________.
  22. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  23. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  24. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. lean — to bend
  3. cold — not warm
  4. kick — in football
  5. pop — music
  6. cold — the Cold War
  7. rule — to rule out
  8. cold — an illness
  9. bear — to put up with
  10. kick — with a leg
  11. rule — a law
  12. leaves — of a tree
  13. arm — part of the body
  14. pop — to visit
  15. pop — soda
  16. kick — a thrill
  17. bear — the animal
  18. rule — government
  19. leaves — lets stay
  20. lean — thin
  21. arm — part of the body
  22. lean — to rest against
  23. leaves — to go away
  24. arm — a part of something

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