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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. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  3. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  4. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  5. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  6. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  7. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  8. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  9. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  10. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  11. My mare is ________________ in color.
  12. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  13. The ball is in your ________________.
  14. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  15. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  16. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  17. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  18. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  19. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  20. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  21. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  22. The King held a masked ________________.
  23. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  24. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — to rest against
  2. scale — in music
  3. lean — thin
  4. bear — the animal
  5. scale — size or range
  6. ball — a round shape
  7. scale — for weighing
  8. pass — a permit
  9. leaves — of a tree
  10. leaves — lets stay
  11. bay — a horse colour
  12. bay — a part of the sea
  13. court — for sport
  14. court — of a king
  15. leaves — to go away
  16. pass — to succeed
  17. bay — to keep at bay
  18. ball — a great time
  19. pass — to spend time
  20. court — of law
  21. bear — to put up with
  22. ball — a dance
  23. bear — the animal
  24. lean — to bend

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