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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. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  2. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  3. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  4. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  5. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  6. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  7. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  8. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  9. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  10. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  11. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  12. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  13. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  14. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  15. When will it ________________ you to start?
  16. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  17. The King held a masked ________________.
  18. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  19. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  20. He is an ace ________________.
  21. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  22. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  23. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  24. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — to bend
  2. pitcher — a jug
  3. hand — help
  4. ball — a round shape
  5. suit — in cards
  6. chip — for betting
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. lean — to rest against
  9. chip — to eat
  10. patient — calm and waiting
  11. hand — in cards
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. ball — a great time
  14. hand — part of the body
  15. suit — to fit
  16. ruler — a monarch
  17. ball — a dance
  18. chip — in a computer
  19. patient — a sick person
  20. pitcher — in baseball
  21. lean — thin
  22. pitcher — a jug
  23. suit — clothes
  24. patient — a sick person

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