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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. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  3. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  4. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  5. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  6. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  7. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  8. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  9. What do you think of the new ________________?
  10. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  11. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  12. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  13. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  14. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  15. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  16. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  17. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  18. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  19. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  20. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  21. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  22. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  23. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  24. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — to rest against
  2. lean — to bend
  3. wind — to turn a key
  4. jam — in traffic
  5. fan — a supporter
  6. hide — animal skin
  7. hide — to keep secret
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. fan — to cool the air
  11. vault — an arched ceiling
  12. stick — a piece of wood
  13. stick — a piece of wood
  14. jam — a tight spot
  15. wind — moving air
  16. jam — to spread on bread
  17. wind — moving air
  18. hide — to keep secret
  19. cabinet — a cupboard
  20. vault — in gymnastics
  21. stick — to attach or keep to
  22. lean — thin
  23. vault — a safe
  24. cabinet — ministers

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