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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. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  3. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  4. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  5. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  6. Where did you ________________ them?
  7. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  8. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  9. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  10. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  11. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  12. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  13. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  14. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  15. That was ________________ to happen.
  16. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  17. Did you ________________ the meat?
  18. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  19. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  20. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  21. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  22. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  23. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  24. He refilled his coffee ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — to rest against
  2. pound — a weight
  3. mug — a face
  4. lean — thin
  5. pound — to hit hard
  6. mug — to rob
  7. squash — the sport
  8. season — of the year
  9. wake — a trail
  10. wake — to stop sleeping
  11. wake — before a funeral
  12. bound — tied together
  13. squash — to crush
  14. season — in sport
  15. bound — certain
  16. racket — a loud noise
  17. season — to add flavour
  18. squash — the vegetable
  19. racket — for tennis
  20. lean — to bend
  21. pound — for dogs
  22. racket — for tennis
  23. bound — obliged
  24. mug — a cup

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