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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. When will it ________________ you to start?
  2. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  3. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  4. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  5. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  6. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  7. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  8. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  9. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  10. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  11. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  12. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  13. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  14. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  15. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  16. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  17. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  18. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  19. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  20. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  21. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  22. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  23. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  24. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — to fit
  2. lean — thin
  3. lean — to rest against
  4. lean — to bend
  5. hide — to keep secret
  6. object — a thing
  7. content — the amount
  8. bore — gave birth
  9. hide — to keep secret
  10. object — to protest
  11. root — of a plant
  12. root — of a word
  13. hide — animal skin
  14. perch — the fish
  15. suit — clothes
  16. perch — for a bird
  17. suit — in cards
  18. content — videos and posts
  19. perch — for a bird
  20. bore — to drill
  21. content — happy
  22. bore — to tire
  23. root — the cause
  24. object — an aim

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