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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. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  2. It's one o'clock ________________.
  3. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  4. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  5. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  6. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  7. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  8. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  9. I'll be taking the ________________.
  10. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  11. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  12. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  13. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  14. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  15. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  16. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  17. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  18. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  19. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  20. Where did you ________________ them?
  21. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  22. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  23. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  24. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. deal — to handle
  2. sharp — exactly
  3. lean — to rest against
  4. foot — the bottom
  5. row — a line
  6. lie — to recline
  7. tube — a container
  8. sharp — with an edge
  9. tube — the underground
  10. lean — thin
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. row — a quarrel
  13. deal — an agreement
  14. mug — a cup
  15. lean — to bend
  16. row — to paddle
  17. tube — in a tire
  18. mug — a face
  19. foot — part of the body
  20. mug — to rob
  21. foot — a measure
  22. sharp — clever
  23. deal — a big deal
  24. lie — an untruth

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