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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. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  2. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  3. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  4. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  5. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  6. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  7. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  8. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  9. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  10. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  11. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  12. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  13. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  14. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  15. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  16. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  17. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  18. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  19. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  20. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  21. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  22. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  23. That must've been a ________________.
  24. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — to hurry
  2. bark — to shout
  3. bark — of a tree
  4. chair — to sit on
  5. present — a gift
  6. wave — with your hand
  7. wave — of the sea
  8. present — the time now
  9. rush — hurry
  10. chair — a professorship
  11. leaves — to go away
  12. lean — thin
  13. chair — a leader
  14. pound — for dogs
  15. present — there
  16. pound — to hit hard
  17. wave — a sudden rise
  18. leaves — lets stay
  19. leaves — of a tree
  20. bark — a dog's sound
  21. pound — a weight
  22. lean — to bend
  23. rush — a thrill
  24. lean — to rest against

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