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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. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  2. Did you ________________ the meat?
  3. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  4. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  5. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  6. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  7. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  8. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  9. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  10. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  11. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  12. That must've been a ________________.
  13. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  14. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  15. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  16. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  17. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  18. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  19. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  20. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  21. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  22. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  23. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  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. rush — hurry
  2. season — to add flavour
  3. firm — decided
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. season — of the year
  6. rush — to hurry
  7. lean — to bend
  8. mouse — for a computer
  9. capital — money
  10. can — a tin
  11. can — to be able to
  12. rush — a thrill
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. firm — a company
  15. can — a tin
  16. lean — thin
  17. firm — steady
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. season — in sport
  21. ruler — a monarch
  22. capital — a city
  23. capital — a big letter
  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