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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. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  2. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  3. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  4. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  5. I can't ________________ this cold.
  6. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  7. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  8. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  9. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  10. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  11. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  12. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  13. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  14. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  15. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  16. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  17. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  18. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  19. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  20. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  21. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  22. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  23. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  24. He's taking a ________________ right now.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — for spectators
  2. lean — thin
  3. lean — to rest against
  4. object — a thing
  5. stand — to bear
  6. deal — a big deal
  7. stick — to attach or keep to
  8. cue — a hint
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. bat — the animal
  11. stick — a piece of wood
  12. shower — a meteor shower
  13. cue — a signal
  14. bat — in an idiom
  15. deal — an agreement
  16. deal — to handle
  17. object — an aim
  18. lean — to bend
  19. object — to protest
  20. stand — on your feet
  21. cue — for pool
  22. bat — for baseball
  23. shower — rain
  24. shower — to wash

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