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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. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  2. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  3. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  4. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  5. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  6. The water is too ________________.
  7. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  8. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  9. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  10. That was ________________ to happen.
  11. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  12. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  13. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  14. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  15. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  16. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  17. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  18. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  19. He is an ace ________________.
  20. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  21. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  22. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  23. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  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. deal — an agreement
  2. can — a tin
  3. cold — an illness
  4. firm — steady
  5. leaves — lets stay
  6. cold — not warm
  7. bound — obliged
  8. leaves — of a tree
  9. pitcher — a jug
  10. bound — certain
  11. bound — tied together
  12. leaves — to go away
  13. firm — decided
  14. deal — to handle
  15. can — a tin
  16. lean — thin
  17. can — to be able to
  18. cold — the Cold War
  19. pitcher — in baseball
  20. lean — to bend
  21. deal — a big deal
  22. firm — a company
  23. pitcher — a jug
  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