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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. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  2. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  3. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  4. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  5. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  6. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  7. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  8. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  9. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  10. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  11. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  12. Where did you ________________ them?
  13. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  14. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  15. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  16. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  17. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  18. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  19. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  20. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  21. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  22. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  23. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  24. The ________________ took off on time.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — to rest against
  2. bear — the animal
  3. dip — to dunk
  4. clip — for paper
  5. clip — a video
  6. fine — all right
  7. can — to be able to
  8. mug — a cup
  9. dip — to sink
  10. plane — a tool
  11. dip — a sauce
  12. mug — to rob
  13. bear — to put up with
  14. can — a tin
  15. can — a tin
  16. plane — in geometry
  17. mug — a face
  18. lean — thin
  19. bear — the animal
  20. fine — high quality
  21. fine — a penalty
  22. lean — to bend
  23. clip — to cut
  24. plane — an aircraft

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