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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. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  2. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  3. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  4. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  5. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  6. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  7. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  8. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  9. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  10. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  11. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  12. The ball is in your ________________.
  13. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  14. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  15. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  16. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  17. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  18. I can't ________________ this cold.
  19. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  20. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  21. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  22. It's one o'clock ________________.
  23. I'll be taking the ________________.
  24. I assure you, everything's ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — to rest against
  2. tube — a container
  3. bear — the animal
  4. lean — thin
  5. fine — a penalty
  6. ruler — a monarch
  7. stand — on your feet
  8. stand — for spectators
  9. fine — high quality
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. court — of law
  12. court — for sport
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. sharp — with an edge
  15. bear — the animal
  16. lean — to bend
  17. bear — to put up with
  18. stand — to bear
  19. tube — in a tire
  20. court — of a king
  21. sharp — clever
  22. sharp — exactly
  23. tube — the underground
  24. fine — all right

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