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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. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  2. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  3. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  4. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  5. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  6. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  7. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  8. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  9. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  10. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  11. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  12. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  13. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  14. What do you think of the new ________________?
  15. That must've been a ________________.
  16. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  17. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  18. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  19. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  20. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  21. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  22. That was ________________ to happen.
  23. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  24. He is as ________________ as a wolf.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — to hurry
  2. face — to confront
  3. bear — the animal
  4. racket — a loud noise
  5. face — to point toward
  6. racket — for tennis
  7. lean — to bend
  8. face — part of the head
  9. bound — tied together
  10. bound — obliged
  11. chair — to sit on
  12. rush — hurry
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. rush — a thrill
  16. cabinet — a cupboard
  17. racket — for tennis
  18. lean — to rest against
  19. bear — the animal
  20. chair — a professorship
  21. chair — a leader
  22. bound — certain
  23. bear — to put up with
  24. lean — thin

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