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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 124 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. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  3. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  4. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  5. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  6. The King held a masked ________________.
  7. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  8. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  9. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  10. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  11. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  12. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  13. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  14. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  15. How do you ________________ your surname?
  16. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  17. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  18. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  19. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  20. Did you ________________ the meat?
  21. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  22. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  23. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  24. I'll be taking the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — to rest against
  2. spell — magic
  3. pound — for dogs
  4. lean — thin
  5. pit — in a race
  6. ball — a dance
  7. spell — a short time
  8. lean — to bend
  9. pound — to hit hard
  10. season — of the year
  11. tube — a container
  12. craft — boats
  13. tube — in a tire
  14. craft — a handicraft
  15. spell — letters
  16. pit — a fruit stone
  17. craft — a skill
  18. pit — a hole
  19. ball — a round shape
  20. season — to add flavour
  21. pound — a weight
  22. ball — a great time
  23. season — in sport
  24. tube — the underground

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