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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. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  2. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  3. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  4. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  5. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  6. Don't do anything ________________.
  7. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  8. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  9. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  10. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  11. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  12. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  13. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  14. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  15. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  16. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  17. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  18. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  19. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  20. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  21. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  22. That must've been a ________________.
  23. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  24. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.

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

Answer key

  1. rash — on the skin
  2. rash — a series
  3. fall — to drop
  4. stick — a piece of wood
  5. lean — to rest against
  6. rash — hasty
  7. lean — thin
  8. stick — to attach or keep to
  9. squash — the vegetable
  10. fall — to drop
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. pound — to hit hard
  13. stick — a piece of wood
  14. squash — the sport
  15. rush — hurry
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. squash — to crush
  18. pound — for dogs
  19. safe — a strongbox
  20. rush — to hurry
  21. fall — the season
  22. rush — a thrill
  23. pound — a weight
  24. lean — to bend

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