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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. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  2. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  3. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  4. The ball is in your ________________.
  5. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  6. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  7. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  8. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  9. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  10. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  11. Have you met the new head ________________?
  12. When will it ________________ you to start?
  13. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  14. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  15. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  16. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  17. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  18. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  19. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  20. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  21. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  22. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  23. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  24. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — in cards
  2. lean — to rest against
  3. lean — thin
  4. court — for sport
  5. rock — to move gently
  6. kick — with a leg
  7. deal — to handle
  8. suit — clothes
  9. spring — of water
  10. spring — a coil
  11. coach — a trainer
  12. suit — to fit
  13. kick — a thrill
  14. spring — the season
  15. court — of law
  16. coach — pulled by horses
  17. lean — to bend
  18. court — of a king
  19. rock — a stone
  20. kick — in football
  21. rock — music
  22. deal — an agreement
  23. deal — a big deal
  24. coach — a trainer

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