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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. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  2. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  3. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  4. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  5. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  6. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  7. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  8. She's very handy with a ________________.
  9. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  10. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  11. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  12. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  13. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  14. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  15. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  16. Have you met the new head ________________?
  17. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  18. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  19. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  20. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  21. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  22. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  23. He works in a ________________ mill.
  24. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.

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. bear — to put up with
  4. lean — thin
  5. saw — past of 'see'
  6. track — to keep track
  7. perch — for a bird
  8. saw — the tool
  9. chair — a professorship
  10. lean — to bend
  11. pass — to spend time
  12. coach — pulled by horses
  13. track — a song
  14. track — a path
  15. chair — a leader
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. pass — to succeed
  18. pass — a permit
  19. coach — a trainer
  20. perch — the fish
  21. bear — the animal
  22. perch — for a bird
  23. saw — the tool
  24. chair — to sit on

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