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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 124 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. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  3. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  4. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  5. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  6. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  7. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  8. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  9. We're almost out of ________________.
  10. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  11. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  12. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  13. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  14. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  15. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  16. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  17. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  18. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  19. How do you ________________ your surname?
  20. Did you ________________ the meat?
  21. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  22. You don't need to ________________ round.
  23. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  24. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — to rest against
  2. fork — in a road
  3. lean — thin
  4. cap — a lid
  5. season — in sport
  6. safe — a strongbox
  7. fork — a garden tool
  8. foot — a measure
  9. pop — soda
  10. spell — a short time
  11. cap — of ice
  12. spell — magic
  13. pop — music
  14. foot — part of the body
  15. lean — to bend
  16. season — of the year
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. cap — a hat
  19. spell — letters
  20. season — to add flavour
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. pop — to visit
  23. foot — the bottom
  24. fork — to eat with

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