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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. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  2. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  3. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  4. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  5. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  6. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  7. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  8. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  9. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  10. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  11. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  12. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  13. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  14. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  15. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  16. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  17. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  18. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  19. Did you ________________ the button?
  20. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  21. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  22. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  23. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  24. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — thin
  2. fork — a garden tool
  3. track — a path
  4. lean — to bend
  5. can — to be able to
  6. fork — to eat with
  7. press — newspapers
  8. foot — part of the body
  9. lean — to rest against
  10. can — a tin
  11. can — a tin
  12. object — an aim
  13. press — a publisher
  14. object — to protest
  15. bat — the animal
  16. track — a song
  17. bat — for baseball
  18. foot — the bottom
  19. press — to push
  20. bat — in an idiom
  21. track — to keep track
  22. foot — a measure
  23. fork — in a road
  24. object — a thing

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