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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. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  2. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  3. The light ________________ burned out.
  4. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  5. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  6. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  7. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  8. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  9. The tickets are free of ________________.
  10. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  11. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  12. My mare is ________________ in color.
  13. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  14. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  15. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  16. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  17. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  18. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  19. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  20. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  21. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  22. I've got to change the light ________________.
  23. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  24. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — thin
  2. lean — to rest against
  3. bulb — for light
  4. stick — a piece of wood
  5. charge — electricity
  6. stick — to attach or keep to
  7. stick — a piece of wood
  8. charge — in control
  9. charge — a price
  10. lean — to bend
  11. bark — a dog's sound
  12. bay — a horse colour
  13. bark — to shout
  14. bark — of a tree
  15. bulb — of a plant
  16. present — the time now
  17. bay — to keep at bay
  18. bay — a part of the sea
  19. present — a gift
  20. current — happening now
  21. current — of water
  22. bulb — for light
  23. present — there
  24. current — electric

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