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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. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  2. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  3. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  4. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  5. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  6. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  7. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  8. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  9. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  10. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  11. The ________________ went through the wall.
  12. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  13. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  14. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  15. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  16. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  17. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  18. The light ________________ burned out.
  19. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  20. I've got to change the light ________________.
  21. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  22. My mare is ________________ in color.
  23. Don't do anything ________________.
  24. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.

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

Answer key

  1. wind — to turn a key
  2. lean — to bend
  3. bulb — of a plant
  4. nail — on a finger
  5. stick — a piece of wood
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. lean — to rest against
  8. bear — the animal
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. bear — to put up with
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. wind — moving air
  13. bay — to keep at bay
  14. lean — thin
  15. bear — the animal
  16. stick — to attach or keep to
  17. bay — a part of the sea
  18. bulb — for light
  19. wind — moving air
  20. bulb — for light
  21. rash — on the skin
  22. bay — a horse colour
  23. rash — hasty
  24. rash — a series

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