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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. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  2. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  3. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  4. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  5. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  6. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  7. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  8. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  9. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  10. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  11. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  12. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  13. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  14. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  15. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  16. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  17. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  18. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  19. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  20. I'll be taking the ________________.
  21. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  22. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  23. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  24. Did you ________________ the meat?

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

Answer key

  1. lean — to rest against
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. mine — an explosive
  4. lean — to bend
  5. lash — to lash out
  6. mine — for digging
  7. pass — a permit
  8. tube — a container
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. mine — belonging to me
  11. season — in sport
  12. field — for sport
  13. season — of the year
  14. field — a subject
  15. pass — to succeed
  16. mouse — for a computer
  17. lash — an eyelash
  18. lash — a whip stroke
  19. pass — to spend time
  20. tube — the underground
  21. lean — thin
  22. field — farmland
  23. tube — in a tire
  24. season — to add flavour

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