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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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Word bank
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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. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  2. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  3. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  4. He is an ace ________________.
  5. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  6. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  7. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  8. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  9. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  10. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  11. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  12. That was ________________ to happen.
  13. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  14. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  15. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  16. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  17. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  18. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  19. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  20. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  21. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  22. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  23. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  24. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — a jug
  2. toast — a drink to someone
  3. bound — tied together
  4. pitcher — in baseball
  5. fine — a penalty
  6. bound — obliged
  7. wind — moving air
  8. fine — all right
  9. lean — to bend
  10. pitcher — a jug
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. bound — certain
  13. ruler — a monarch
  14. lean — thin
  15. wind — to turn a key
  16. toast — bread
  17. cue — for pool
  18. fine — high quality
  19. wind — moving air
  20. lean — to rest against
  21. cue — a hint
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. cue — a signal
  24. toast — the most admired

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