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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. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  2. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  3. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  4. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  5. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  6. What do you think of the new ________________?
  7. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  8. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  9. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  10. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  11. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  12. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  13. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  14. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  15. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  16. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  17. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  18. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  19. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  20. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  21. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  22. I'll be taking the ________________.
  23. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  24. The spa offers ________________ extensions.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — to go away
  2. lean — to rest against
  3. bear — the animal
  4. leaves — lets stay
  5. tube — in a tire
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. lean — thin
  8. cabinet — a cupboard
  9. lash — to lash out
  10. net — after costs
  11. bark — of a tree
  12. net — for catching
  13. bear — the animal
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. lash — a whip stroke
  16. bear — to put up with
  17. net — in sport
  18. lean — to bend
  19. leaves — of a tree
  20. tube — a container
  21. bark — a dog's sound
  22. tube — the underground
  23. bark — to shout
  24. lash — an eyelash

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