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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. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  2. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  3. How do you ________________ your surname?
  4. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  5. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  6. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  7. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  8. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  9. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  10. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  11. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  12. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  13. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  14. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  15. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  16. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  17. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  18. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  19. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  20. That was ________________ to happen.
  21. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  22. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  23. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  24. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — a company
  2. lean — to bend
  3. spell — letters
  4. spell — a short time
  5. fine — high quality
  6. rest — what's left
  7. patient — a sick person
  8. fine — all right
  9. rest — a break
  10. rule — to rule out
  11. fine — a penalty
  12. bound — obliged
  13. patient — calm and waiting
  14. rule — a law
  15. lean — thin
  16. firm — decided
  17. patient — a sick person
  18. bound — tied together
  19. firm — steady
  20. bound — certain
  21. rule — government
  22. rest — what's left
  23. spell — magic
  24. lean — to rest against

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