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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. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  2. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  3. The ________________ went through the wall.
  4. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  5. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  6. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  7. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  8. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  9. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  10. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  11. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  12. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  13. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  14. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  15. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  16. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  17. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  18. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  19. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  20. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  21. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  22. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  23. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  24. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — lets stay
  2. racket — for tennis
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. object — an aim
  5. lean — to bend
  6. stick — to attach or keep to
  7. wind — moving air
  8. lean — to rest against
  9. racket — a loud noise
  10. drill — the tool
  11. wind — to turn a key
  12. stick — a piece of wood
  13. lean — thin
  14. drill — a practice
  15. leaves — of a tree
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. object — to protest
  18. nail — on a finger
  19. leaves — to go away
  20. drill — army training
  21. racket — for tennis
  22. object — a thing
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. wind — moving air

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