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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. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  3. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  4. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  5. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  6. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  7. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  8. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  9. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  10. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  11. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  12. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  13. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  14. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  15. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  16. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  17. The ________________ market has crashed.
  18. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  19. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  20. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  21. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  22. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  23. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  24. A black ________________ roamed the forest.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — to rest against
  2. bear — to put up with
  3. jam — a tight spot
  4. bear — the animal
  5. stick — a piece of wood
  6. jam — to spread on bread
  7. lean — to bend
  8. hide — to keep secret
  9. pass — to succeed
  10. stock — goods
  11. jam — in traffic
  12. hide — to keep secret
  13. stick — to attach or keep to
  14. hide — animal skin
  15. stock — a soup base
  16. pass — to spend time
  17. stock — shares
  18. pass — a permit
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. lean — thin
  21. stick — a piece of wood
  22. ruler — a monarch
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. bear — the animal

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