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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. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  2. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  3. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  4. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  5. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  6. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  7. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  8. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  9. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  10. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  11. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  12. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  13. The ________________ market has crashed.
  14. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  15. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  16. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  17. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  18. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  19. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  20. When will it ________________ you to start?
  21. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  22. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  23. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  24. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — to rest against
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. mouse — for a computer
  4. can — a tin
  5. lean — thin
  6. file — a tool
  7. stock — a soup base
  8. lean — to bend
  9. cue — for pool
  10. suit — clothes
  11. pound — a weight
  12. pound — for dogs
  13. stock — shares
  14. cue — a signal
  15. can — a tin
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. cue — a hint
  18. suit — in cards
  19. can — to be able to
  20. suit — to fit
  21. file — a document
  22. pound — to hit hard
  23. file — a line of people
  24. stock — goods

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