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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. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  2. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  3. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  4. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  5. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  6. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  7. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  8. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  9. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  10. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  11. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  12. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  13. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  14. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  15. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  16. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  17. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  18. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  19. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  20. The King held a masked ________________.
  21. It's one o'clock ________________.
  22. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  23. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  24. How do you ________________ your surname?

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

Answer key

  1. lean — to rest against
  2. ball — a round shape
  3. lean — thin
  4. sharp — clever
  5. lean — to bend
  6. ball — a great time
  7. fall — the season
  8. spell — a short time
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. spell — magic
  11. branch — a division
  12. safe — a strongbox
  13. patient — a sick person
  14. fall — to drop
  15. patient — a sick person
  16. branch — of a tree
  17. fall — to drop
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. branch — of a bank
  20. ball — a dance
  21. sharp — exactly
  22. patient — calm and waiting
  23. sharp — with an edge
  24. spell — letters

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