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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. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  2. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  3. Don't do anything ________________.
  4. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  5. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  6. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  7. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  8. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  9. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  10. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  11. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  12. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  13. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  14. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  15. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  16. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  17. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  18. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  19. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  20. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  21. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  22. When will it ________________ you to start?
  23. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  24. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — to bend
  2. chest — a box
  3. rash — hasty
  4. safe — a strongbox
  5. present — a gift
  6. fine — a penalty
  7. suit — clothes
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. lean — thin
  10. chest — of your body
  11. scale — size or range
  12. suit — in cards
  13. lean — to rest against
  14. rash — a series
  15. present — there
  16. present — the time now
  17. fine — high quality
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. chest — of your body
  20. fine — all right
  21. scale — for weighing
  22. suit — to fit
  23. rash — on the skin
  24. scale — in music

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