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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. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  2. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  3. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  4. When are we going to ________________?
  5. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  6. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  7. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  8. I'll be taking the ________________.
  9. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  10. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  11. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  12. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  13. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  14. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  15. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  16. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  17. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  18. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  19. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  20. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  21. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  22. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  23. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  24. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?

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

Answer key

  1. lean — to rest against
  2. mark — a grade
  3. fan — a supporter
  4. land — to come down
  5. fan — a supporter
  6. rock — music
  7. mark — to pay attention
  8. tube — the underground
  9. mark — a trace
  10. land — a country
  11. hide — animal skin
  12. tube — a container
  13. chip — in a computer
  14. chip — for betting
  15. fan — to cool the air
  16. land — ground
  17. hide — to keep secret
  18. tube — in a tire
  19. rock — to move gently
  20. chip — to eat
  21. lean — thin
  22. lean — to bend
  23. rock — a stone
  24. hide — to keep secret

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