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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. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  2. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  3. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  4. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  5. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  6. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  7. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  8. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  9. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  10. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  11. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  12. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  13. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  14. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  15. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  16. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  17. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  18. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  19. I can't ________________ this cold.
  20. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  21. There's no middle ________________.
  22. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  23. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  24. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — to bend
  2. file — a line of people
  3. toast — bread
  4. lean — thin
  5. pass — to succeed
  6. ground — crushed
  7. stand — for spectators
  8. toast — a drink to someone
  9. toast — the most admired
  10. ground — the earth
  11. mouse — for a computer
  12. kick — in football
  13. file — a document
  14. pass — to spend time
  15. stand — on your feet
  16. lean — to rest against
  17. pass — a permit
  18. file — a tool
  19. stand — to bear
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. ground — a position
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. kick — with a leg
  24. kick — a thrill

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