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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. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  2. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  3. I'll be taking the ________________.
  4. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  5. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  6. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  7. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  8. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  9. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  10. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  11. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  12. It's one o'clock ________________.
  13. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  14. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  15. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  16. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  17. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  18. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  19. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  20. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  21. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  22. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  23. My mare is ________________ in color.
  24. How do you ________________ your surname?

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

Answer key

  1. lean — thin
  2. lean — to rest against
  3. tube — the underground
  4. net — for catching
  5. net — after costs
  6. tube — a container
  7. club — for golf
  8. bay — to keep at bay
  9. present — the time now
  10. net — in sport
  11. present — a gift
  12. sharp — exactly
  13. club — a group
  14. lean — to bend
  15. spell — a short time
  16. tube — in a tire
  17. spell — magic
  18. present — there
  19. bay — a part of the sea
  20. sharp — with an edge
  21. sharp — clever
  22. club — for dancing
  23. bay — a horse colour
  24. spell — letters

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