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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. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  2. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  3. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  4. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  5. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  6. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  7. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  8. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  9. We're on a ________________ here.
  10. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  11. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  12. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  13. That must've been a ________________.
  14. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  15. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  16. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  17. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  18. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  19. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  20. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  21. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  22. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  23. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  24. ________________ you help me carry this box?

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. chair — a professorship
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. lean — to rest against
  5. ruler — a monarch
  6. roll — a list
  7. chair — to sit on
  8. lean — thin
  9. roll — on a roll
  10. lash — a whip stroke
  11. lash — an eyelash
  12. roll — a cake
  13. rush — a thrill
  14. lean — to bend
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. lash — to lash out
  17. can — a tin
  18. rush — to hurry
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. rush — hurry
  21. mouse — for a computer
  22. chair — a leader
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. can — to be able to

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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