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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. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  2. When will it ________________ you to start?
  3. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  4. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  5. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  6. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  7. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  8. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  9. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  10. It's one o'clock ________________.
  11. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  12. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  13. That was ________________ to happen.
  14. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  15. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  16. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  17. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  18. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  19. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  20. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  21. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  22. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  23. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  24. I'd like to play a game of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — obliged
  2. suit — to fit
  3. leaves — lets stay
  4. stem — a stem cell
  5. stem — of a plant
  6. face — part of the head
  7. suit — clothes
  8. stem — to come from
  9. lean — thin
  10. sharp — exactly
  11. sharp — clever
  12. squash — to crush
  13. bound — certain
  14. face — to confront
  15. bound — tied together
  16. sharp — with an edge
  17. lean — to rest against
  18. lean — to bend
  19. leaves — of a tree
  20. suit — in cards
  21. leaves — to go away
  22. squash — the vegetable
  23. face — to point toward
  24. squash — the sport

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