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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 116 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. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  2. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  3. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  4. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  5. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  6. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  7. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  8. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  9. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  10. When will it ________________ you to start?
  11. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  12. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  13. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  14. That was ________________ to happen.
  15. This piece is in a major ________________.
  16. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  17. That must've been a ________________.
  18. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  19. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  20. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  21. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  22. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  23. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  24. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — to bend
  2. bound — obliged
  3. rush — to hurry
  4. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  5. squash — to crush
  6. pass — to succeed
  7. lean — thin
  8. pass — to spend time
  9. suit — in cards
  10. suit — to fit
  11. squash — the sport
  12. key — the most important part
  13. squash — the vegetable
  14. bound — certain
  15. key — in music
  16. bound — tied together
  17. rush — a thrill
  18. kid — child
  19. suit — clothes
  20. rush — hurry
  21. kid — to tease
  22. key — for a lock
  23. pass — a permit
  24. lean — to rest against

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