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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 want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  3. That must've been a ________________.
  4. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  5. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  6. That was a fun ________________.
  7. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  8. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  9. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  10. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  11. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  12. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  13. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  14. What do you think of the new ________________?
  15. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  16. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  17. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  18. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  19. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  20. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  21. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  22. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  23. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  24. I'll be taking the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — to rest against
  2. tube — a container
  3. rush — a thrill
  4. club — a group
  5. game — a kind of play
  6. game — a match
  7. fan — to cool the air
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. cabinet — a cupboard
  10. tube — in a tire
  11. lean — thin
  12. lean — to bend
  13. club — for golf
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. pass — a permit
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. rush — to hurry
  19. rush — hurry
  20. club — for dancing
  21. pass — to spend time
  22. pass — to succeed
  23. game — wild animals
  24. tube — the underground

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