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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. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  2. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  3. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  4. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  5. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  6. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  7. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  8. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  9. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  10. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  11. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  12. Have you met the new head ________________?
  13. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  14. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  15. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  16. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  17. He is an ace ________________.
  18. When will it ________________ you to start?
  19. I'll be taking the ________________.
  20. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  21. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  22. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  23. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  24. Fill up this ________________ with water.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — to rest against
  2. rest — what's left
  3. pit — a fruit stone
  4. suit — clothes
  5. suit — in cards
  6. lean — to bend
  7. lean — thin
  8. tube — in a tire
  9. pitcher — a jug
  10. rest — a break
  11. pit — a hole
  12. coach — a trainer
  13. tube — a container
  14. toast — bread
  15. coach — pulled by horses
  16. toast — a drink to someone
  17. pitcher — in baseball
  18. suit — to fit
  19. tube — the underground
  20. rest — what's left
  21. toast — the most admired
  22. coach — a trainer
  23. pit — in a race
  24. pitcher — a jug

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