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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. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  2. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  3. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  4. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  5. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  6. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  7. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  8. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  9. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  10. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  11. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  12. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  13. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  14. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  15. There's no middle ________________.
  16. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  17. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  18. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  19. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  20. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  21. The ball is in your ________________.
  22. The tickets are free of ________________.
  23. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  24. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — to rest against
  2. ground — crushed
  3. lean — to bend
  4. court — of law
  5. cue — for pool
  6. can — a tin
  7. leaves — to go away
  8. can — to be able to
  9. leaves — of a tree
  10. can — a tin
  11. bore — to tire
  12. cue — a hint
  13. lean — thin
  14. leaves — lets stay
  15. ground — a position
  16. bore — to drill
  17. ground — the earth
  18. bore — gave birth
  19. charge — electricity
  20. cue — a signal
  21. court — for sport
  22. charge — a price
  23. charge — in control
  24. court — of a king

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