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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. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  2. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  3. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  4. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  5. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  6. When will it ________________ you to start?
  7. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  8. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  9. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  10. David sat on the ________________.
  11. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  12. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  13. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  14. My mare is ________________ in color.
  15. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  16. The ________________ went through the wall.
  17. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  18. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  19. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  20. She's very handy with a ________________.
  21. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  22. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  23. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  24. He works in a ________________ mill.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — to rest against
  2. vault — a safe
  3. suit — in cards
  4. bay — to keep at bay
  5. swing — music
  6. suit — to fit
  7. branch — of a tree
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. suit — clothes
  10. swing — to play on
  11. swing — in golf
  12. saw — past of 'see'
  13. bay — a part of the sea
  14. bay — a horse colour
  15. branch — of a bank
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. lean — thin
  18. vault — an arched ceiling
  19. nail — on a finger
  20. saw — the tool
  21. vault — in gymnastics
  22. branch — a division
  23. lean — to bend
  24. saw — the tool

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