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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. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  2. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  3. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  4. I can't ________________ this cold.
  5. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  6. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  7. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  8. You don't need to ________________ round.
  9. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  10. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  11. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  12. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  13. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  14. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  15. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  16. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  17. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  18. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  19. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  20. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  21. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  22. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  23. We're almost out of ________________.
  24. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — to rest against
  2. spring — of water
  3. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  4. stand — to bear
  5. face — to confront
  6. stand — for spectators
  7. fine — high quality
  8. pop — to visit
  9. rest — what's left
  10. fine — a penalty
  11. rest — what's left
  12. lean — thin
  13. kid — to tease
  14. pop — music
  15. spring — the season
  16. rest — a break
  17. stand — on your feet
  18. fine — all right
  19. lean — to bend
  20. face — to point toward
  21. spring — a coil
  22. face — part of the head
  23. pop — soda
  24. kid — child

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