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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. We're almost out of ________________.
  2. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  3. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  4. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  5. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  6. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  7. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  8. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  9. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  10. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  11. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  12. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  13. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  14. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  15. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  16. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  17. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  18. You don't need to ________________ round.
  19. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  20. That was ________________ to happen.
  21. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  22. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  23. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  24. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — soda
  2. kick — with a leg
  3. bound — obliged
  4. firm — a company
  5. bound — tied together
  6. can — a tin
  7. lean — thin
  8. wind — to turn a key
  9. kick — in football
  10. object — to protest
  11. firm — decided
  12. pop — music
  13. object — an aim
  14. lean — to rest against
  15. can — to be able to
  16. wind — moving air
  17. firm — steady
  18. pop — to visit
  19. lean — to bend
  20. bound — certain
  21. object — a thing
  22. wind — moving air
  23. can — a tin
  24. kick — a thrill

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