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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 120 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. Where did you ________________ them?
  2. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  3. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  4. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  5. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  6. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  7. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  8. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  9. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  10. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  11. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  12. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  13. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  14. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  15. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  16. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  17. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  18. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  19. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  20. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  21. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  22. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  23. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  24. He is as ________________ as a wolf.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — to rob
  2. fork — in a road
  3. fork — to eat with
  4. leaves — of a tree
  5. leaves — lets stay
  6. mug — a face
  7. leaves — to go away
  8. fine — high quality
  9. capital — money
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. stick — a piece of wood
  12. capital — a big letter
  13. lean — to bend
  14. stick — to attach or keep to
  15. wind — moving air
  16. capital — a city
  17. mug — a cup
  18. fine — all right
  19. lean — to rest against
  20. fork — a garden tool
  21. wind — moving air
  22. wind — to turn a key
  23. fine — a penalty
  24. lean — thin

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