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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. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  3. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  4. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  5. I can't ________________ this cold.
  6. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  7. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  8. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  9. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  10. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  11. Have you found your soul ________________?
  12. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  13. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  14. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  15. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  16. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  17. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  18. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  19. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  20. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  21. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  22. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  23. He is an ace ________________.
  24. I'll take my ________________ from you.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — to bend
  2. shower — to wash
  3. dip — to dunk
  4. lean — to rest against
  5. stand — to bear
  6. dip — a sauce
  7. shower — rain
  8. stand — for spectators
  9. vault — an arched ceiling
  10. shower — a meteor shower
  11. mate — a partner
  12. lean — thin
  13. vault — in gymnastics
  14. dip — to sink
  15. vault — a safe
  16. pitcher — a jug
  17. stand — on your feet
  18. cue — a signal
  19. pitcher — a jug
  20. cue — for pool
  21. mate — a friend
  22. mate — to breed
  23. pitcher — in baseball
  24. cue — a hint

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