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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. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  2. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  3. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  4. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  5. When will it ________________ you to start?
  6. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  7. That was ________________ to happen.
  8. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  9. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  10. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  11. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  12. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  13. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  14. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  15. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  16. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  17. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  18. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  19. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  20. I can't ________________ this cold.
  21. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  22. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  23. He was locked up in a ________________.
  24. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — to rest against
  2. bound — tied together
  3. cell — in biology
  4. suit — clothes
  5. suit — to fit
  6. racket — for tennis
  7. bound — certain
  8. bound — obliged
  9. wind — moving air
  10. racket — for tennis
  11. wind — to turn a key
  12. cell — a phone
  13. present — a gift
  14. present — there
  15. racket — a loud noise
  16. wind — moving air
  17. present — the time now
  18. lean — to bend
  19. lean — thin
  20. stand — to bear
  21. stand — for spectators
  22. suit — in cards
  23. cell — in a prison
  24. stand — on your feet

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