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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. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  2. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  3. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  4. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  5. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  6. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  7. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  8. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  9. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  10. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  11. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  12. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  13. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  14. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  15. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  16. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  17. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  18. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  19. The King held a masked ________________.
  20. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  21. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  22. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  23. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  24. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — to bend
  2. rule — government
  3. rule — to rule out
  4. trunk — of a tree
  5. squash — the vegetable
  6. lean — thin
  7. club — for dancing
  8. trunk — of a car
  9. lean — to rest against
  10. ball — a round shape
  11. object — to protest
  12. bear — the animal
  13. object — a thing
  14. trunk — of an elephant
  15. squash — the sport
  16. squash — to crush
  17. bear — the animal
  18. ball — a great time
  19. ball — a dance
  20. club — a group
  21. rule — a law
  22. bear — to put up with
  23. object — an aim
  24. club — for golf

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