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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. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  3. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  4. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  5. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  6. The light ________________ burned out.
  7. False peace will not ________________.
  8. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  9. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  10. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  11. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  12. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  13. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  14. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  15. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  16. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  17. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  18. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  19. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  20. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  21. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  22. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  23. That was ________________ to happen.
  24. I've got to change the light ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — to rest against
  2. bound — tied together
  3. lean — thin
  4. last — final
  5. pitch — a sales talk
  6. bulb — for light
  7. last — to go on
  8. bound — obliged
  9. club — for dancing
  10. straw — to clutch at straws
  11. straw — a straw man
  12. club — a group
  13. pitch — completely
  14. racket — for tennis
  15. club — for golf
  16. lean — to bend
  17. pitch — a sports field
  18. racket — for tennis
  19. straw — dry grass
  20. bulb — of a plant
  21. racket — a loud noise
  22. last — finally
  23. bound — certain
  24. bulb — for light

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